DIXON, CA (MPG) - Although certification of the Dixon ballots showed former Mayor Thom Bogue elected by 20 votes over incumbent Councilman Scott Pederson at noon Wednesday, November 30, Pederson had already filed for a recount the next day.

Pederson has to pay for the cost unless the results are in his favor. In that case, Solano County must foot the bill, according to the Office of John Gardner, Solano County Assistant Registrar of Voters.

Bogue received 536 votes to Pederson’s 516 but of the combined 1,152 ballots, 133 additional ballots were ‘disqualified’ which usually means the voter did not choose a candidate.

The last time a Dixon race was recounted could not be found, if ever. Gardner said the cost could not yet be determined.

“Often the smaller the contest, the longer it takes,” he said. “There are 800 boxes to go through.” Dixon’s ballots “could be all over the place” because of the way votes come in from different places at different times.

According to the California Secretary of State website, “Before the recount can begin, the voter or campaign committee represented by the voter requesting the recount must provide the money requested by the County Elections official to pay for the cost of the first day’s recount work. This procedure is repeated for each day the recount continues.” Councilman Pederson felt it would be worth it.

“There are 110-plus votes that are on the undercounted side. They didn’t fill it out or they didn’t fill it out correctly. We want to make sure,” he said. “Every vote in every election has the need and right to be counted.”

Pederson’s recount will begin with the Election day ballots first.

“The administrative process is two people to tally and two people to record the street,” explained Gardner. Plus, two people have to agree on what they heard. Anyone can attend and be reading and watching. There will be four tables and a camera on the table with the video screen showing the ballots enlarged so all can see.

“It could take a while, but it is real and deliberate and makes sure everybody knows what’s happening,” he said. After the Election Day ballots are reviewed, next will be the provisional ballots which are people who voted in the wrong location or moved or who had some other issue. Those votes are reviewed at the County office. Lastly, the mail-in ballots will be checked. Pederson can call to stop it at any time.

“I’m getting blasted on social media but it’s a right and I’m paying for it. The County isn’t and the City isn’t,” he said.

When asked if Mayor Steve Bird was backing his effort, he responded, “There are several people that are backing this recount and there were a lot of people who came up to me and said ‘you have to do this.’ My position is that every vote should be counted and if they didn’t intend to vote, that’s that, but if they meant to vote, it’s not fair to that individual.”

Due to the situation, the Tuesday night City Council Meeting and the reception between the outgoing councilmen and the new incoming councilmen had to be revised.

Editor’s Note: At press time, Councilman Pederson stopped the recount at approximately 4 p.m. on Tuesday and conceded. But, because that required another change of the agenda, Thom Bogue was not sworn in and there was much concern over the Brown Act as the public did not have time to be informed. There will be a follow-up story in next week’s edition.