TARN PERALTO of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was declared winner of the South East St. Mary seat by 37 votes over the People's National Party's (PNP) Harry Douglas, following a magisterial recount at the Port Maria Courthouse yesterday. Peralto received 6,960 to Douglas' 6,923.

Resident Magistrate Sara James Thompson confirmed Mr. Peralto's victory at 2:30 p.m., said Harold Brady, lawyer for the JLP candidate.

Counting of ballots in the 106 boxes resumed at 9:00 a.m. yesterday and ended at 1:00 p.m.

Two boxes with ballots of election day workers, which were not counted on election day, were not part of the final tally.

"The RM ruled that she had no jurisdiction to count the ballots because they were not in the presence of the returning officer on election day," Mr. Brady told The Gleaner. Several attempts to contact Mr. Douglas by phone were unsuccessful. The former state minister in the Ministry of Local Government held the South East St. Mary seat for 18 years.

Reversed two days later

Mr. Douglas had been named winner on election night, September 3, but that was reversed two days later in favour of his opponent. The Electoral Office of Jamaica announced that Mr. Peralto won by 34 votes.

On Tuesday, Director of Elections Danville Walker confirmed rumours that two boxes containing ballots of election day workers were 'inadvertently stored' with counted boxes.

Election day workers and the security forces voted on August 28.