U.S. Senate Recount: What happens next?

The most expensive U.S. Senate race of 2018, and the most expensive in Florida history, may also end up being the closest.

Republican Governor Rick Scott leads three-term incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson by about 26,000 votes (as of Wednesday night) out of more than 8 million ballots cast, a difference of just 0.37 percent.

Despite that margin being within Florida’s 0.5 percent threshold to trigger an automatic recount, late on election night, Scott declared himself the winner.

“There are a couple people looking down from heaven I want to recognize,” Scott said, tears filling his eyes as he took a long pause. “I had the most wonderful mom. When I was born, my mom was a single mom and she ultimately raised five kids in a very tough environment with no money. She never would believe that I’d be a governor or a U.S. Senator.”

However, Sen. Nelson hasn’t conceded, so here’s what happens next according to the Florida Department of State:

Nov. 10 – First unofficial county results are due
- If those results show the margin is a half percent or less, Florida’s Secretary of State will order a Machine Recount, unless the candidate who is trailing requests in writing that a machine recount not be conducted.
Ballots are re-tabulated, or re-fed, through a county’s precinct tabulators and/or central count tabulators.
Ballots with overvotes and undervotes in the affected race(s) are subsequently set-aside in case a manual recount occurs.
- Overvote: Voter designated more choices than allowable on their ballot.
- Undervote: Voter made no choice or fewer than number of allowable choices on their ballot
Results from the machine recount constitute the second set of unofficial returns.
Nov. 15 – Recounted results making up the second unofficial returns are due from counties.
If recounted ballots show margin is less than a fourth percent between candidates, a manual recount is ordered
The manual recount is a hand recount of overvotes and undervotes set-aside from the machine recount.
- Exception: The manual recount is not needed if candidate concedes OR if the number of overvotes and undervotes is less than the number of votes needed to change the election outcome.
Nov. 16 – Overseas ballot results due
Nov. 18 – Results from manual recount and overseas ballots are counted
Nov. 20 – Elections Canvassing Commission meets to certify the official returns for federal, state and multicounty offices at 9 a.m. on Nov. 20 at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee. The Elections Canvassing Commission consists of the governor and two members of the Florida cabinet selected by the governor.