Pennsylvania US Senate Race Heads into Recount Phase
As the recount unfolds in Pennsylvania’s closely contested U.S. Senate race, a legally mandated automatic recount has been triggered due to the narrow margin of victory. Current unofficial results from the November 5 general election show Republican candidate David McCormick leading with 3,398,656 votes (48.8%) to incumbent Democrat Bob Casey’s 3,382,258 votes (48.6%), a difference of just 16,398 votes, or 0.2%.
The Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, Al Schmidt, announced last week that any statewide race decided by 0.5% or less necessitates a recount. Counties began their recount processes Monday, November 18. Today, counties must finalize their recount operations, with the cutoff for all recounts set for noon on November 26. It is crucial to note that counties are required to employ different voting machines for this recount compared to those used during the election.
Complications may arise from misdated ballots, as the Pennsylvania Supreme Court confirmed that ballots with incorrect or missing dates on their return envelopes cannot be counted, potentially affecting thousands of votes statewide.
Results from the recount must be reported to the Pennsylvania Secretary of State by noon on November 27, although the public release of these results will not occur until then. The Department of State estimates the total cost of the recount will surpass $1 million in taxpayer funds.
Statements from both campaigns reflect the candidates’ confidence in their respective positions. McCormick’s communication director expressed enthusiasm over the ruling, while Casey’s campaign manager emphasized the importance of ensuring every Pennsylvanian’s voice is heard in this critical democratic process.
Source
Photo credit www.wgal.com