Thompson Gains In Recount

Democratic nominee Alvin E. Thompson beat State Rep. Saundra Graham (D-Cambridge) for the third time in three months yesterday, as a recount of ballots cast in the November 8 general election only increased his margin of victory.

Although Graham picked up 13 more votes in the recount, she still lost ground. Unofficial results showed Graham with 5194 votes, and Thompson with 8564--a gain of 79. The incumbent herself has already conceded defeat and did not attend the recount. But her supporters have continued to challenge Thompson's victory.

Graham, who has represented Cambridge's 28th Middlesex District in the State House since 1977, lost to Thompson by 49 votes in the Septem- ber primary, then proceeded to wage a vigorouswrite-in/sticker campaign to win back her seat.

Although she lost the November 8 election bynearly 3000 votes, confusion at some pollingplaces, including misplaced stickers and defacedvoting mechanisms, caused her supporters tocomplain that the election was unfair.

After learning the recount results, Graham'scampaign chair, Pamela A. Thomure, said she neededto examine the rest of the material used in thevoting process before deciding whether to takefurther action.

The Graham supporters remained after therecount to inspect the machines and othermaterials used for voting, including waste paperon which voters may have written or placedstickers. The Election Commission impounded allpapers used in the election on the night of thevote.

Thomure and other Graham supporters said theywere unsure what they would do after they finishedtheir investigation.

"At this point, we're really just trying tobring attention to the irregularities," said RenaeScott, Graham's campaign treasure. "I mean, thisis Cambridge. This is a place where goodgovernment means a lot to people."

Graham has said she would not take part in anychallenge to the decision. However, she signed arecount petition, as required by state law,allowing Thomure to investigate problems with thecomputer-scanned punch-card ballots used in cityelections.

On election day, voters in several precinctsplaced stickers bearing Graham's name overThompson's name in the ballot book, a part of thevoting machine itself. Thomure has charged that,as a result, voters might have voted for Thompsonunder the impression that they were voting forGraham.

Graham supporters have also said that ballotson which voters improperly placed Graham'swrite-in stickers might not have been counted.

Observers from both sides yesterday said fewproblems arose in counting the ballots. However,Thomure said she had noted numerous irregularitiesand cited one case in which a voter punched hisballot, voting for Thompson, and then wrote on itthat he had made a mistake.

"I think that shows a certain amount ofdesperation on the part of the voter," saidThomure.

$7 Per Hour

To minimize the possibility of error, Thomureasked that the recount be conducted by hand.Yesterday, the Election Commission hired about 40former poll workers to count the votes, payingthem $7 an hour, said Commissioner Edward J. Samp,one of the two commissioners supervising theprocess.

Many of Thompson's observers, who outnumberedGraham's by nearly 2 to 1, said they consideredthe recount a waste of time and money.

"It's really silly and intrusive and disruptivethat they have to question the integrity of 800voters," said Thompson backer Joseph C. Beckman."That's exactly what this does."

Thompson echoed Beckman's analysis.

"Halfway through the count, things haven'tchanged." said Thompson. "For the benefit of thetaxpayers, we're hoping they'll call this off andsave the rest of the day."

Thompson said that the recount was probably aprelude to an election challenge from Graham in1990.

To make the time pass more quickly yesterday,Thompson said he had "bought an assortment ofchocolate for the workers--Hershey bars, MilkyWays, Snickers and some assorted mints."

Thompson has already set office hours for thisevening and tomorrow at City Hall