Recount confirms Likens as winner in GOP primary for 2nd District Madison County Council seat

Ken de la Bastide, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read

Jun. 16—ANDERSON — A recount has confirmed that Diana Likens won the Republican Party nomination for the 2nd District seat on the Madison County Council by three votes.

It was the second recount conducted in Madison County in the past three years that showed no change in the final results.

A recount commission appointed by Madison Circuit Court Division 6 Judge Mark Dudley conducted the recount of the results Thursday and showed no change in the certified numbers.

Likens received 1,271 votes to Devin Norrick's 1,268.

Norrick filed for the recount shortly after the May 3 primary election.

During the recount process Likens lost and gained one vote to maintain the three-vote margin.

"I was confident in our clerk's office," Likens said. "Everyone at the courthouse does an amazing job. I appreciate all those who helped today."

She will be opposed in the November general election by Democrat Tim Perry who was added to the ballot by party chairman Tim Funk.

"I'm very gratified for everyone involved," Norrick said after the recount was completed.

Originally on election night Norrick had lost by five votes but in the final certification by the Madison County Clerk's office the margin of victory was three votes.

"I wouldn't have requested a recount with five votes," Norrick said. "But after I picked up two votes in the certification, I had to request a recount.

"The voters of Madison County are the winners because the outcome was 100% correct," he said. "It showed the integrity of the system."

Norrick said he didn't know if he would seek another elected office in the future.

"I'm not old enough to say I won't run again," he said.

The last time there was a recount in Madison County was in 2019 in the general election for the city of Anderson. Republican Art Pepela Jr. requested the recount after losing to Democrat Lance Stephenson by 14 votes for the 5th District seat on the Anderson City Council.

The recount yielded no change in the results.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.