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An election recount is a repeat tabulation of votes cast in an election that is used to determine the correctness of an initial count. Recounts will often take place if the initial vote tally during an election is extremely close. Election recounts will often result in changes in contest tallies. Errors can be found or introduced from human factors, such as transcription errors, or machine errors, such as misreads of paper ballots.
 | The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the English-speaking world and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (September 2021) |
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Australian elections use instant-runoff voting and single transferable vote at the federal level to determine representatives for the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively. Tabulating votes for both houses involves automatic recounts known as "fresh scrutiny." For the House, this process occurs the Monday after a general election.[1] The process in the Senate occurs shortly after the election, but only first preferences are recounted. A voter's full preferences for the Senate are not counted until after fresh scrutiny occurs.[2] Candidates for either house may also request recounts, though such a request may be refused by the Electoral Commission.[3]
Similar processes occur at the state and territorial level.[4] As in federal elections, candidates may request recounts subject to the discretion of electoral authorities.[5]
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Recounts in Canadian elections are known as "judicial recounts" because a superior court judge oversees them. In federal elections, tied elections or races with a difference of 0.1% result in automatic recounts. Electors (including candidates) may also petition for recounts within four days of the final vote count under certain conditions.[6] Each province and territory has its own regulations regarding provincial or territorial elections.
| Province/Territory | Automatic | Requested |
|---|---|---|
 Alberta |
When difference is less than 100 votes[7] | Within eight days of the final tally[7] |
 British Columbia |
When difference is less than 0.2% (1/500th of ballots considered)[8] | Within six days of the final tally[8] |
 Manitoba |
When difference is less than 50 votes[9] | Within six days of the final tally[9] |
 New Brunswick |
None | Within four days of the final tally[10] |
 Newfoundland and Labrador |
When tied[11] | Within ten days of the final tally[11] |
 Northwest Territories |
When difference is less than 2%[12] | Within five "business days" of the final tally[12] |
 Nova Scotia |
When difference is less than 10 votes[13] | Within four days of the final tally[13] |
 Nunavut |
When difference is less than 2%[14] | Within eight days of the final tally[15] |
 Ontario |
When difference is less than 25 votes[16] | Within seven days of the final tally[16] |
 Prince Edward Island |
When difference is less than 10 votes (or 15 votes at the request of a candidate)[17] | Within five days of the final tally[17] |
 Quebec |
None | Within four days of the final tally, if difference is less than 0.1% (1/1000 of votes cast)[18] |
 Saskatchewan |
When difference is less than the number of unopened ballots[19] | Within ten days of the final tally[19] |
 Yukon |
When difference is less than 10 votes[20] | Within six days of the final tally[20] |
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In Irish presidential elections, recounts occur only at the approval of the High Court. Candidates or the Director of Public Prosecutions may petition for a recount within seven days of the election. In the event of a recount, the High Court's decision is final.[21] An identical process is available for elections to the Oireachtas.[22]
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New Zealand uses a mixed-member proportional representation system for elections to its Parliament. As in Australia, an official count takes place shortly after the election day involving a recount of all of the ballots in electorates. Judicial recounts are also available in electorate and party list races.[23] No threshold is needed for a recount to occur.[24]
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In the United States recounts rarely reverse election results. Of the 4,687 statewide general elections held from 2000 to 2015, 27 were followed by a recount, and only three resulted in a change of outcome from the original count: 2004 Washington gubernatorial election, 2006 Vermont Auditor of Accounts election, and 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota.[25] Recounts are conducted at the state level rather than the federal level, even for federal offices.
Recount methods
Machine recount
A machine recount is a retabulation of ballots cast during the election. This can be done using an optical scan voting system, punched card system or direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machine. With document-based Ballot Voting Systems, ballots are counted a second time by some form of machine. With Non-document-based Ballot Voting Systems officials will recollect vote data from each voting machine which will be combined by a central tabulation system.
Manual recount
A manual or "hand" recount involves each individual physical representation of voter intent being reviewed for voter intent by one or more individuals.
With DRE voting machines, a voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) is examined from each voter. For some DREs that do not generate a VVPAT, images can be printed for each ballot cast and counted individually.[clarification needed]
Legal requirements
Recounts can be mandatory or optional. In some jurisdictions, recounts are mandatory in the event the difference between the top two candidates is less than a percentage of votes cast or of a fixed number.[26] Mandatory recounts are paid for by the elections official, or the state. Mandatory recounts can usually be waived by the apparent losing candidate. The winning side will usually encourage the loser to waive the recount in a show of unity and to avoid spending taxpayer money.
Each jurisdiction has different criteria for optional recounts. Some areas permit recounts for any office or measure, while others require that the margin of victory be less than a certain percentage before a recount is allowed. In all instances, optional recounts are paid for by the candidate, their political party, or, in some instances, by any interested voter. The person paying for the recount has the option to stop the recount at any time. If the recount reverses the election, the jurisdiction will then pay for the recount.
| State | Automatic | Requested |
|---|---|---|
 Alabama |
When difference is less than 0.5% | Available to both candidates and voters; an election contest must be filed if the recount changes the result |
 Alaska |
When tied | Available to both candidates and voters |
 Arizona |
When difference is less than 0.1%[27] | Not available[27] |
 Arkansas |
None | Available; the election commission may also initiate a recount |
 California |
None | Available to voters; the governor may initiate a recount if difference is less than 1,000 votes or 0.1% |
 Colorado |
When difference is less than 0.5% | Available |
 Connecticut |
When difference is less than 20 votes or less than 2000 votes when said difference is less than 0.5% | Available; election officials may initiate recounts |
 Delaware |
When difference is less than 1,000 votes or less than 0.5% (whichever is smaller) (municipal elections - only if difference is less than 0.5%) | Available, if difference is less than 1,000 votes or less than 0.5% (whichever is smaller); voters can initiate in school board elections only |
 Florida |
When difference is less than 0.5% | Available |
 Georgia |
None[27] | Available, if difference is less than 0.5%[27] |
 Hawaii |
None | Available through the Supreme Court |
 Idaho |
None | Available, if difference is less than 0.1% or 5 votes (whichever is larger) |
 Illinois |
None | Available, if difference is less than 5% (non-binding unless court-ordered); voters can initiate on ballot measures only |
 Indiana |
None | Available |
 Iowa |
None | Available, if difference is less than 1% or 50 votes (whichever is larger) |
 Kansas |
None | Available, if difference is less than 0.5% |
 Kentucky |
None | Available, unless an election for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or General Assembly member |
 Louisiana |
None | Available, if difference is less than the total number of absentee and early ballots |
 Maine |
None | Available, if difference is less than 1.5% (legislative races) or less than 1% or 1,000 votes (whichever is smaller) (statewide races) |
 Maryland |
None | Available, if difference is less than 0.1% |
 Massachusetts |
None | Available, if difference is less than 0.5% |
 Michigan |
When difference is less than 2000 votes[27] | Available[27] |
 Minnesota |
None | Available, if difference is less than 0.25% (federal, statewide, and judicial races) or less than 0.5% (legislative races) or less than 10 votes (when total number is less than 400 votes) |
 Mississippi |
None | Not available |
 Missouri |
None | Available, if difference is less than 0.5% (state and federal races) or less than 1% (local races) |
 Montana |
When tied | Available, if difference less than 0.25%; state pays costs |
 Nebraska |
When difference is less than 1% (if more than 500 total votes) or less than 2% (if 500 total votes or less) | Available |
 Nevada |
None[27] | Available[27] |
 New Hampshire |
None | Available, if difference is less than 20% |
 New Jersey |
None | Available |
 New Mexico |
When difference is less than 0.25% (federal and statewide races) or less than 0.5% (judicial races and certain local races) or less than 1% (all other races) | Available (voters may initiate only under the Liquor Control Act) |
 New York |
When difference is less than 20 votes or less than 0.5% or less than 5,000 votes (if more than 1 million votes) | Available for local races only |
 North Carolina |
None | Available, if difference is less than 0.5% or less than 10,000 votes (whichever is less) (statewide races) or less than 1% (all other races) |
 North Dakota |
When difference is less than 1% (primaries) or less than 0.5% (general elections) | Available, if difference is less than 2% |
 Ohio |
When difference is less than 0.25% (statewide races) or less than 0.5% (all other races) | Available |
 Oklahoma |
None | Available |
 Oregon |
When difference is less than 0.2% | Available |
 Pennsylvania |
When difference is less than 0.5%[27] | Available[27] |
 Rhode Island |
None | Available (margin dependent on total number of votes cast)[28] |
 South Carolina |
When difference is less than 1% | Not available |
 South Dakota |
When tied | Available, if difference is less than 0.25% (statewide races) or less than 2% (all other races) |
 Tennessee |
None | Available by court order only |
 Texas |
When tied | Available, if difference is less than 10% |
 Utah |
None | Available, if difference less than 0.25% or if difference is only one (when <400 total votes were cast) |
 Vermont |
When tied | Available, if difference is less than 2% or less than 5% (municipal and state representative races) |
 Virginia |
None | Available, if difference is less than 1%; if difference is less than 0.5%, state pays costs |
 Washington |
When difference is less than 2,000 votes or less than 0.5% | Available |
 West Virginia |
None | Available |
 Wisconsin |
None[27] | Available; if difference is less than 0.25%, state pays costs[27] |
 Wyoming |
When difference is less than 1% | Available |
Source:[29]
Notable recounts
- Florida election recount - 2000 U.S. presidential election
- Washington gubernatorial election, 2004
- Vermont Auditor of Accounts election, 2006
- United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2006#District 13 - Florida's 13th congressional district
- United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2008
- Virginia Attorney General election, 2013[30]
- 2016 United States presidential election recounts[31][32]
- 2018 United States Senate election in Florida
- 2020 United States presidential election in Georgia
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More than one recount is allowed if a candidate or their agent requests one and the returning officer deems it appropriate.[33] It is possible for a defeated candidate denied a recount by the Returning Officer, to request one from the court by means of an election petition. There are several cases where a Parliamentary election has been the subject of a court-ordered recount.
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