Losing Republican in Oakland County turns winner after error fixed
A computer error led election officials in Oakland County to hand an upset victory Wednesday to a Democrat, only to switch the win back to an incumbent Republican a day later.
In Oakland County's 15th County Commission District — representing Rochester and Rochester Hills — the initial count gave a 104-vote margin to the Democrat, Melanie Hartman, amounting to a razor-thin majority of 50.08%.
That stunned the incumbent, Adam Kochenderfer, giving him a sure sense that he'd lost in a district long deemed a Republican stronghold.
"I thought that was that," Kochenderfer said. "Those were the results, and I said I would not seek a recount."
But what a difference a day makes — in weather, love, and the 15th District election for Oakland County commissioner. On Thursday, Kochenderfer was stunned again, this time by a call from Oakland County's director of elections, flipping the outcome to him....