Churchman's first in poll recount (7)
I believe the answer is:
prelate
'churchman's' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'first in poll recount' is the wordplay.
'first in' suggests taking the first letters.
'recount' becomes 'relate' (relating is a kind of recounting).
The initial letter of 'poll' is 'p'.
'p'+'relate'='PRELATE'
(Other definitions for prelate that I've seen before include "Church high-ranker" , "Senior churchman" , "High-ranking clergyman" , "Bishop perhaps" , "priest" .)