Avatiu adds up to Peto
By Charles Pitt

On Friday morning when Justice Tom Weston declared 19 votes be eliminated from the Avatiu count and four reinstated, it set off a round of mental arithmetic among those in the court’s public gallery.
Democratic Party supporters had Sam Crocombe ahead by two votes while Cook Islands Party supporters had Peto Nicholas ahead by four.
The final count after the 26 September election was Nicholas 295 and Crocombe 284.
Crocombe’s petition and Nicholas’ cross petition took all day Wednesday to hear, ending at 8.30pm. When Justice Weston ordered a recount, everyone expected a very close finish.
The recount, announced at 5pm, took all by surprise with Nicholas getting 288 and Crocombe 278.

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