A Baton Rouge judge has set the ground rules for the recount of absentee mail-in and early votes cast in New Orleans in the Nov. 6 bridge tolls election.

Judge William Morvant ordered the recount requested in a lawsuit filed by Gretna attorney Patrick Hand III on behalf of the group STOPtheTOLLS.org.

The recount is set for Saturday, Feb. 16, at 9am in the New Orleans City Council chambers.

The recount is closed to the media and the public. Attendance is limited to the parties in the lawsuit, the Orleans Board of Election Supervisors, the Orleans clerk of court and the official vote counter from outside New Orleans and a couple of assistants.

"I didn't ask for it to be limited, the other side didn't ask for it to be limited. The judge just said he wanted it to be closed to the public and closed to the media," Hand said. The judge did not say why he wanted a closed proceeding.

Terrebonne Parish Registrar of Voters Linda Rodrigue will conduct the recount.

"She's a very capable person in this regard when it comes to recounts. That's why she was selected, and she's also impartial and outside of the three parishes that actually voted on the proposition," Hand said.