DiBiase Rejects Recount Results After Linda Jackson Declared Winner In Vaughan Mayor’s Race

Linda Jackson has officially survived a recount in the city of Vaughan and will assume the mayor’s chair on Friday.

The most controversial race in the November 13th vote didn’t end on election night – it’s been going on ever since.

Jackson beat incumbent Michael DiBiase by just 90 votes when the ballots were totalled that evening. But DiBiase demanded a recount, citing stories he’d heard about voting irregularities. And he’s refused to accept the new results.

“Mayor DiBiase rejected results today in relation to the election and states the process has been highly flawed,” a statement reads.

He cites several irregularities, including a breakdown of vote tabulation machines and a strange series of circumstances at the Father John Kelly School polling station in Maple.

DiBiase talks about a note found inside a box from that location that claimed one of the machines had been left unsealed for much of the day, suggesting it could have been tampered with.

He wants those 1,100 votes to be subtracted from the total – which he claims would give him a 200-plus vote win.

But town clerk John Leach insists that’s a red herring. “No ballots went in that box that should not have gone in that box,” he declares with certainty in his voice.  

But Jackson’s campaign manager – and her husband – Mario Campsei explains the recount found only 13 ballots that were in dispute – and eight of those were for Jackson.

The final outcome actually increased Jackson’s lead by four votes. The total tally was 28,402 for Jackson and 28,308 for DiBiase. 

So it would not have changed the outcome either way.

She’s relieved by the outcome.

“I am jubilated two times over,” she gushes as a supporter holds up a hand written sign that says, “Linda, we won again.”

“I am very thrilled today and glad it is over and done with.”

DiBiase wasn’t there when the final decision was made and his lawyers refused to comment on whether he’d take it further to the courts.

“Keep in touch,” is all the outgoing mayor will reveal. “I will let you know … We will leave it for another day.”

His successor believes that would be a mistake.

“We’re hoping that he sees that the residents of Vaughan certainly don’t want this and we will move on.”

Jackson signed the declaration of office Thursday morning, officially designating her as the mayor. 

It follows a fractious meeting last week, when members of the public almost came to blows as councillors debated the issue of whether to hold a recount. At one point, police had to be called in to restore order and escort the politicians out.

They finally decided to OK the second look, even though it threatened to cost taxpayers as much as $400,000.

And in the end, nothing changed.

It will be back to business soon in the City Above Toronto, but it will be anything but business as usual. Most of the former councillors were all re-elected and nearly all of them publicly endorsed DiBiase.

Jackson has pledged she can work with them anyway, despite their obvious lack of support.

“Most of the council members I’ve known for 20-plus years so we will all get together,” she vows.