NDP bid for Burin recount dismissed

A New Democrat's attempt to force a recount was dismissed Thursday at Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Julie Mitchell, who lost the race in Burin-Placentia West by 40 votes to Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Clyde Jackman, had wanted the court to order a new count of the ballots.

Justice David Orsborn dismissed the application during a proceeding Thursday in St. John's.

In the application, Mitchell had claimed some ballots weren't scrutinized as they were counted.

Her application also claimed that in three cases, people who did not live in the district voted there by special ballot. [MORE: Read the application here.]

Mitchell, a former deputy  mayor of Marystown, was one of the NDP's best chances for a breakthrough in the Oct. 11 election.

The NDP won five seats, but fell one seat short of the Liberals in forming the Official Opposition. The governing Progressive Conservatives won 37 seats.