Updated June 28 at 5:31 p.m.


Former Missouri City City Council Position 2 candidate Cynthia Gary withdrew a petition for a recount of votes June 22, according to the city of Missouri City.

Gary originally filed the petition June 16 for a recount of June 11 runoff election votes with the city. She lost against incumbent Chris Preston by 9 votes.

Gary Cynthia Gary[/caption]

Gary did not return a call for comment.

Cory Stottlemyer, a media relations specialist with the city of Missouri City, said Preston would be sworn into office at a July 5 meeting. His swearing-in was postponed at a June 20 meeting because of the petition.

A letter to Gary from Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen indicated the petition had a few deficiencies including a necessary deposit of $2,700, which is a fee of $100 per voting precinct. The letter said Gary deposited $100 and requested a recount of early voting ballots.

Fort Bend County elections administrator John Oldham said the deposit would account for $100 per 26 precincts plus $100 for early voting ballots.

"Statutorily you can't pick and choose [precincts] when you file your petition," Fort Bend County elections administrator John Oldham said of the deposit requirement.

Preston Chris Preston[/caption]

He said that though the deposit had to be paid in full, some of the money would have been given back to the petitioner if he or she decided not to proceed with the full recount.

Posted June 24


A candidate who ran against an incumbent Missouri City City Council member filed a petition for a vote recount.

Cynthia Gary filed the petition June 16 for a recount against her opponent, Chris Preston, in the June 11 runoff election for the at large position 2 seat.

Preston won the election by 0.4 percent, receiving 1,123 votes, or 50.2 percent of the votes. Gary received 1,114 votes, or 49.8 percent.

Gary said June 24 that in addition to the recount she is looking into whether or not there was voter fraud by mail-in ballots during the election.

“I don’t want to go into details at this time because I’m starting an investigation,” she said.

She declined to say what would be involved in the investigation.

Gary, who is a sociology professor, previously served on the council after being elected in 2007. She ran unopposed in 2009 and in 2010 she ran for Missouri City mayor.

Preston was not sworn into his second term on the council at a June 20 meeting because of the petition.

“Regarding the recount I respect the process,” Preston said after the council meeting. “I’m for letting the process work itself out.”

Gary said she did not get a conclusive answer from Fort Bend County as to how long a vote recount would take.

Neither Fort Bend County elections administrator John Oldham nor his assistant were immediately available to answer questions about the recount process.