More than 250 people have voted in favour of every constituency on the Isle of Man having its votes recounted following the discrepancies uncovered during a supervised recount in Onchan.

A poll in the Isle of Man News and Politics Facebook group asked members whether all constituencies should undergo a recount following Tuesday's examination of ballot papers from September's General Election.

Of the 406 people who had voted at the time of writing, 254 (63%) said yes, while 126 (31%) were against the idea and 26 (6%) said they were not bothered.

The poll was set up by group administrator James Corrin after members requested it.

The Isle of Man Government has confirmed a full review of the election processes is underway, but this isn't anything out of the ordinary, it is carried out after every general election and includes the process for counting votes, feedback from each deputy returning officer, and consideration of whether procedures should be further standardised and whether additional legislative amendments may be needed.

Julie Edge outside the court following the recount
Julie Edge outside the court following the recount (Media Isle of Man)

Peter Karran's tally increased by 100 votes, while Rob Callister gained 81 and Rachel Glover seven.

Julie Edge's total fell by eight, Gabriella Corkish's dropped by 22, while Oliver Lockwood's remained unchanged.

The recount followed an election petition brought by Ms Edge, who raised concerns about 79 ballot papers she said could not be accounted for, as well as other alleged irregularities in the counting process.

Speaking after the recount, Ms Edge said: ‘If we cannot get the integrity of our democracy correct in our main election, I really do think we have issues.’

The findings have prompted wider discussion about the island's electoral processes, with the Facebook poll suggesting a significant level of support among those who have taken part for further recounts.

Many have questioned why there’s different counting styles at the different counts.

However, the results should be viewed in context.

The poll is confined to members of a political Facebook group and is not a representative survey of the Manx electorate.

There has also been no suggestion that the same discrepancies found in Onchan have occurred in other constituencies.

The debate raises several questions beyond whether people support the idea.

What specifically do those calling for an all-island recount want to establish? Is it about checking that every vote was allocated correctly, seeking reassurance about the counting procedures, or ensuring confidence in the overall election result?

There is also the question of cost.

A recount across every constituency would involve examining a substantial number of ballot papers and require time and resources from election officials.

Would the cost fall to the public purse, the candidates requesting recounts or another party? And should taxpayers be expected to fund a wider exercise if there is no specific evidence of counting errors elsewhere?

In the Onchan case, Ms Edge was required to provide £500 in security for costs as part of the court process. That was a security payment and should not be confused with the full cost of carrying out the recount.

The results of the Onchan recount will now be reported to First Deemster Andrew Corlett, who will decide the next steps in the election petition.

But whether it’s a full recount, or a review (like Onchan MHK Rob Callister has called for), this is not going to disappear overnight.