AUGUSTA – The Waldo County Republican Committee is calling for a censure of the state’s party chairman because of problems with Maine’s 2012 presidential caucuses.

At their regular monthly meeting Tuesday evening, committee members initially made a motion to call for Charlie Webster’s resignation or removal from the job as state chairman. Ultimately, they adopted a motion asking the state committee to censure Webster.

Additional Photos Charles Webster

“The consensus from the floor was anger,” said Raymond St. Onge, the party’s Waldo County chairman.

Webster has been under fire from many Republicans — especially Ron Paul’s supporters — since he announced Saturday that Mitt Romney had won Maine’s preference poll, even though Washington County’s caucuses had been postponed that day because of a snowstorm.

It later was learned that votes taken in other communities, including Waterville and most of Waldo County, were not included in the vote totals, for unknown reasons.

Webster said some communities were left out inadvertently because of clerical errors. He has refused to issue a corrected count, saying only that the results would not change.

Webster also has said that Washington County’s caucuses, to be held this Saturday, are not likely to give Paul, who finished second, enough votes to take the lead from Romney.

St. Onge will present Waldo County’s message at the next state committee meeting, on March 10.

Other county officials also are frustrated that not all votes were counted, but it’s not clear whether they will join Waldo County in a formal action.

MaineToday Media State House Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 620-7016 or at:

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