Half Moon Bay recount begins Monday morning; and a lesson about headline-writing

The recount of ballots for the Half Moon Bay City Council election will begin at 8:30am, Monday, Dec. 12 at the Elections Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo, according to the Daily Journal.

A meeting with Half Moon Bay council candidate Mike Ferreira and the San Mateo County Elections Office was held on Wednesday to set the ground rules for the recount. Recount law was designed to give all candidates an opportunity to review, challenge and reach or alter the conclusion that the Elections Office reached when they counted and certified the election results.

“Mr. Ferreira is exercising his right to a recount and review of the votes cast in this very close election. In doing so, he has given the public a chance to learn or be reminded of this legal avenue that’s available to challenge the outcome of close elections,” said Chief Elections Officer Warren Slocum. “We welcome his request.”

This raises an interesting question about choice of words.  Coastsider’s headline when Ferreira announced his recall was "Mike Ferreira asks for recount", the Chronicle didn’t put it in a headline, but their story said Ferreira "asked San Mateo County elections officials for a recount", the County Times said "Defeated councilman seeks recount", and the county Elections Office said "Half Moon Bay Candidate Requests Recount of City Council Race ". 

But the Review’s headline was "Ferreira demands a recount".  "Demands" is an interesting choice of words for two reasons. The first is prosaic: it’s a howling cliché. The second is more significant.  It’s the wrong word. Ferreira was entitled to ask for a recount and the county "welcomed his request". The Review’s headline makes him look like a sore loser, when his request is appropriate, within the rules, and what any sane person would do under the circumstances.