Election recount called in Quebec riding after Liberals flag 'potential anomaly' with a ballot box

Montreal -

With fewer than 300 votes separating the winner from the runner up on election night and a "potential anomaly" with a ballot box, a recount has been called in the Quebec riding of Châteauguay–Lacolle.

Bloc Québécois candidate Patrick O’Hara was announced the winner on election night while just 286 votes ahead of incumbent Liberal candidate Brenda Shanahan, who called for the recount.

The Liberals requested that votes be counted again after a "potential anomaly" with a ballot box was spotted.

Typos in vote tallies had to be corrected by the returning officer.

The officer reportedly spotted an error in the number of ballots recorded at the constituency polling station, where 40 votes cast in favor of a candidate were recorded as 410.

Elections Canada says the miscount, which has been corrected, was due to human error. Other typos were also reportedly corrected.

Justice Anne Jacob of the Superior Court of Quebec will begin the recount next week.

-- Published with files from The Canadian Press.