Recounts occur periodically in King County and help ensure election result accuracy . Some recounts are required by law, and some are requested. In addition, there are two types of recounts – a machine recount and a manual recount.
Required (Mandatory) Recounts
Recounts are mandated by law when votes for offices or statewide measures fall within a certain range. State law does not provide for a mandatory recount of local issues.
Any office or state measure must be recounted by machine when the difference between two candidates or choices is:
- Less than 2,000 votes difference AND
- Less than ½ of one percent
Statewide offices or measures must be recounted by hand when the difference between two candidates or choices is:
- Less than 1,000 votes AND
- Less than ¼ of one percent
For all other offices, ballots must be recounted by hand if the difference between the two candidates is:
- Less than 150 votes AND
- Less than ¼ of one percent
In a primary, the second and third highest vote getters can be recounted. The highest vote getter automatically advances to the General.
Requested Recounts
Recounts are sometimes initiated by request. In a race for an office, a candidate or political party may request a recount. For an issue or proposition, a group of five or more voters may request a recount.
A request must be made in writing within three business days of certification of the election. In addition, the requester must make a deposit toward the cost of the recount.
- Machine recount - $.15 for each ballot cast
- Manual recount - $.25 for each ballot cast
The person or group requesting the recount is responsible for the entire cost of the recount.If a full recount reverses the outcome of the race, the deposit is refunded.
A race or measure may be recounted only twice.
Types of Recounts
During a recount, only the race or measure in question will be examined, and only ballots including that race or measure will be pulled for the recount. Observers from political parties are invited to observe all recounts.
- Machine Recounts – The tabulating equipment is programmed to examine votes for the specific office or race being recounted. Some ballots are identified for closer inspection by Elections staff to confirm that the original results were correct.
- Hand Recounts – Teams of two trained Elections employees examine the ballots and agree on the voter’s choice. They then hand count and tally the votes.
After all ballots have been recounted, the Canvassing Board reviews and approves the amended results.
