EDITORIAL: Count — then count again

Nevada last week got dragged into the presidential recount silliness.

As the Green Party’s Jill Stein — with the sanction of addled Democrat partisans — plows forward with a fund-raising telethon disguised as a re-tally of votes in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, an obscure independent candidate now seeks a recount in the Silver State.

Rocky De La Fuente, a businessman who appeared on the Nevada presidential ballot last month and finished last behind even None of These Candidates, filed paperwork with the secretary of state’s office last Tuesday to force a recount of some precincts in five counties — Carson City, Mineral, Nye, Douglas and Clark. If a discrepancy of more than 1 percent is discovered in certain vote totals, state officials could decide to order a more detailed review.

Hillary Clinton won Nevada by a few percentage points, so Mr. De La Fuente’s motivation, outside of the obvious publicity, remains a source of speculation. He said that “a recount should be done to validate the election or expose the need for substantive election reform.”

Precisely what type of reform Mr. De La Fuente favors — or how his quest would further such a goal — is a mystery. But he is certainly free under state law to spend more than $14,000 of his own money — assuming it is indeed his own money — to cover the costs of a recount.

In the end, though, it’s hard not to conclude that his effort — along with Dr. Stein’s ridiculous undertaking — represents nothing more than a divisive gimmick intended to stoke controversy and sow seeds of doubt about the legitimacy of the election results.