An election recount is triggered in one of two ways. Some states order an automatic recount when the margin between the top two candidates falls below a set threshold, often 0.5% or less. Other states have no automatic trigger but let a trailing candidate request a recount, usually within a margin limit and often at the candidate’s expense if the result doesn’t change.
Recounts almost never flip a result. FairVote found that of 4,687 statewide general elections from 2000 to 2015, 27 went to a recount and 3 changed the winner. Here’s how the triggers differ by state, what happens during a recount, and why the margins barely move.
What triggers an automatic recount? #
Each state writes its own rules. Here are examples from state law; check your state’s election code or the National Conference of State Legislatures’ recount threshold list for current details.
| State | Trigger |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Automatic if the margin is 0.5% or less (A.R.S. 16-661) |
| Florida | Machine recount at 0.5% or less; manual review of over- and undervotes at 0.25% or less |
| Pennsylvania | Automatic statewide recount at 0.5% or less |
| Ohio | Automatic at 0.25% or less for statewide races, 0.5% or less for others |
| Colorado | Automatic when the margin is 0.5% or less of the winner’s vote |
| Alabama | Automatic at 0.5% or less |
| Michigan | Automatic for statewide races decided by 2,000 votes or fewer |
Arizona raised its threshold from 0.1% to 0.5% in 2022, which is a good example of how often these rules change.
Before any recount, officials finish the canvass: counting every mail, provisional and military ballot and reconciling totals. A race that looks recount-close on election night may widen or narrow once those ballots are in.
How do requested recounts work? #
In states without an automatic trigger, or when the margin is just outside it, a candidate can often ask for one.
- Georgia lets a trailing candidate request a recount when the margin is 0.5% or less.
- Wisconsin has no automatic recount. A candidate within 1% can petition, and the recount is free to the candidate only if the margin is 0.25% or less.
Requested recounts usually come with guardrails: a maximum margin, a filing deadline, and a deposit to cover costs. If the recount reverses the result, the candidate is typically refunded. If not, the fee covers the state’s expense.
What happens during a recount? #
1. Securing materials #
Paper ballots, memory cards, poll books and voting equipment stay in locked, logged storage, often under rules that require officials from both parties to be present.
2. Machine or hand count #
- Machine recount. Ballots are fed through scanners again after the equipment passes logic and accuracy testing. This catches mechanical errors, like a batch that jammed or was scanned twice.
- Hand recount. People examine each paper ballot. It’s slow, but it’s the best way to judge unclear marks. Many states do a machine recount first and hand-count only disputed ballots or a sample.
3. Observers and challenges #
Recounts are public. Both campaigns and parties send observers. If an observer disagrees with how a ballot is being read, they can challenge it, and the ballot is set aside for a canvassing board or court to decide. Our guide to what poll watchers do covers the observer rules.
What actually changes in a recount? #
Usually a few dozen or a few hundred votes, from:
- Voter intent. A voter circles a name or checks a box instead of filling in the oval, and the scanner reads it as blank. A human can see the intent.
- Overvotes. A voter marks two candidates and crosses one out; state rules decide whether the remaining mark counts.
- Found ballots. Occasionally a batch turns up that wasn’t counted, as happened in Washington in 2004.
- Provisional and mail ballots. Recount reviews can catch errors in how these were accepted or rejected. See what a provisional ballot is and when it counts.
Do recounts ever change the winner? #
Rarely, and only when the first count is extremely close. The three statewide reversals from FairVote’s 2000–2015 study:
- Washington governor, 2004. Republican Dino Rossi led Democrat Christine Gregoire by 261 votes in the first count and 42 after a machine recount. A hand recount that included newly found ballots put Gregoire ahead by 129.
- Vermont auditor, 2006. The only reversal of the three that wasn’t a high-profile race.
- Minnesota Senate, 2008. Republican Norm Coleman led Democrat Al Franken by 215 votes after the initial count. After a months-long recount and court fight, Franken won by 312.
A more typical recent example: Pennsylvania’s 2024 Senate race, decided by about 0.2 points (roughly 15,000 votes), fell under the state’s 0.5% rule. Bob Casey conceded to Dave McCormick while the recount was under way; a recount was never going to erase a five-figure lead.
Recount, audit or contest? #
- Recount: retabulating all the ballots in a race to confirm the count.
- Audit: a routine check, often of a random sample of ballots, to confirm the equipment worked. Many states audit every election regardless of margin.
- Election contest: a lawsuit alleging the election was conducted illegally, which can go beyond counting.
How to know a race might go to a recount #
Before Election Day, polling is the only early signal. A race whose average sits within a point or two is a candidate for a photo finish. Election Tracker shows every Senate and governor race with polling, a 30-day average and a lead chip, so the tightest races are easy to spot. It doesn’t report results, so on election night you’ll want your state’s official results site. For what comes after a presidential count, see the safe harbor deadline.
Frequently asked questions #
How long does a recount take? #
A local recount can finish in a day. A statewide recount usually takes days to a few weeks. Legal fights over disputed ballots can stretch it to months, as in Minnesota’s 2008 Senate race, which wasn’t settled until the following summer.
Who pays for a recount? #
Taxpayers pay for automatic recounts. For requested recounts, the candidate usually pays a deposit, refunded if the result flips. Some states, like Wisconsin, waive the cost only for the closest margins.
Can a candidate stop a recount? #
Often yes. A trailing candidate can concede, and in many states that ends or waives a recount that was triggered or requested on their behalf. Some states continue automatic recounts regardless.
What’s the difference between a recount and an audit? #
A recount re-tallies every ballot in a specific close race. An audit samples ballots or equipment after an election to confirm the results match the paper trail, and many states run one every election regardless of margin.
How much do recounts usually change the margin? #
Very little. Statewide recounts typically move the margin by a few hundred votes or less, which is why candidates trailing by thousands almost never gain enough to win.