U.S. Sen. Nelson Waits For Recount; Gov. Scott Wants To Move On

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Leave it to Florida to be at the center of a national election snafu.

On election night, outgoing Florida Gov. Rick Scott boldly declared himself the winner of the U.S. Senate race.

Now Florida voters aren't so sure.

With Scott leading by just one-fourth of a percentage point in votes, three-term incumbent and Democratic opponent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is awaiting the results of an automatic statewide recount.

So, instead of breathing a sigh of relief following the busy months leading up to the general election, staff at Florida's 67 Supervisor of Elections Offices are scrambling to validate thousands of absentee, mail-in, early voting and election day ballots.

Both campaigns have asked elections offices to start with “provisional ballots,” those cast by voters who didn’t have IDs when they voted or went to the wrong voting precinct.

Voters who cast provisional ballots have until Thursday at 5 p.m. to verify their ID or provide other documentation to county supervisors to ensure that their votes count.

County canvassing boards are required to report their first unofficial returns to the Division of Elections by noon Saturday.

Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner is expected to make a decision on a recount after the canvassing boards in each of Florida’s 67 counties certify their returns.

The machine recount, if ordered, would likely begin Monday. If a machine recount is ordered, the second unofficial returns will be due no later than 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15.

If any of the races are within a 0.25 percent margin, a manual recount would then be ordered.

Elections offices are already assembling volunteers in anticipation of that outcome.

Not all states offer a recount process for close elections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In some states, a defeated candidate’s only remedy is to contest the result of the election in court.

Forty-three states and the District of Columbia permit a losing candidate, a voter, a group of voters or other concerned parties to petition for a recount if the outcome of the election is questionable.

Florida isn’t one of them, according to the NCSL. But 20 states do have an automatic recount trigger if the margin fails to meet a specified threshold.

In Florida under Statute 102.141(7), the margin threshold is 0.5 percent or less of votes cast.

This means not only is the U.S Senate race in question but the race for Commissioner of Agriculture, the state Senate race between Dana Young and Janet Cruz in Tampa and two House races also meet the parameters for an automatic recount.

As of Thursday morning, Scott led Nelson by 21,899 votes or .26 percent of 8.2 million ballots cast, making it likely the closest Senate race in Florida's history, according to the state Division of Elections website.

In most of the states that permit a candidate or other interested party to demand a recount, the petitioner is required to pay a deposit toward the cost of conducting the recount. If the recount reverses the result of the election, that person’s deposit is refunded. If the recount does not change election results, the petitioner is required to pay most of the costs associated with the recount. Automatic recounts are paid for by the state or county that conducts the recount.

Cost Of Recounting Votes

According to the Pew Center on the States, there have been only 25 statewide recounts since 1980.

The center analyzed the cost of recounts in two previous races: the 2008 Minnesota U.S.. Senate race between Al Franken and Norma Coleman and the 2004 Washington state gubernatorial race between Christine Gregoire and Dino Ross.

According to the Pew Center, the recount in Washington cost the state more than $1.1 million and the Minnesota recount came at a cost of $460,000.

In an email blast sent to supporters Wednesday, Nelson's campaign has already begun soliciting $5 donations to fund the recount.

“We know Rick Scott and the GOP are about to pile everything they’ve got into this, and I need you right here with me to make sure every last vote is counted,” Nelson said in the email.

The Florida Democratic Party also sent out an email seeking $100,000 over the next 24 hours to begin the recount.

Chris Hartline from Scott’s campaign called it a desperate attempt by Nelson to hold on to an office that he’s held for four terms.

“This race is over,” said Hartline. “It’s a sad way for Bill Nelson to end his career. He is desperately trying to hold on to something that no longer exists.”

For elections officials, the automatic recounts brings back bad memories of Florida’s 2000 presidential election when “hanging chads” turned the manual recount process into a nightmare.

In that election, President George W. Bush claimed the victory over Al Gore by just 537 votes.

Image via Polk County Supervisor of Elections

Employees at the Polk County Supervisor of Elections office check the accuracy of voting machines and sort mail-in ballots.

Image via Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections

A recount could include the tedious process of verifying signatures on mail-in ballots.

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