MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. — Counties across Arizona and the country continue to tabulate ballots in the weeks after the election. But what happens when a race is too close to call?
In Arizona, state law dictates a recount is initiated if the margin of victory in an election is less than or equal to 0.5% of the total votes cast for the top two candidates. The law does not apply to elections for:
- precinct committeemen
- school district governing boards
- community college district governing boards
- fire boards
- fire district chiefs
- secretary-treasurers
- boards of other special districts
The Maricopa County website gives an example of a possible recount:
If Candidate A received 15,000 votes, Candidate B received 14,900 votes and Candidate C received 2,500 votes, then the difference of votes between Candidate A and Candidate B is 100 votes. Because 100 votes out of the combined 29,000 votes is a difference of 0.3%, the race would be required to be recounted under state law.
On Nov. 21, Maricopa County will canvass election results. After the canvass, if applicable, the county board of supervisors will file a lawsuit in the appropriate court citing the vote margin that triggered the automatic recount.
A recount must be completed by running paper ballots from the race in question through designated electronic voting equipment that has been L&A tested by the officer in charge of elections.
According to the Maricopa County website, if the recount results are different than the initial results, then the officer in charge of the election "shall undertake reasonable efforts to reconcile the discrepancy" and provide a report to the Arizona Secretary of State.
For recounts in legislative, statewide, and federal candidate races, if a recount is necessary, the audit must be hand counted, according to Maricopa County.
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