By Disha Raychaudhuri
(Reuters) – Georgia is likely to go through a recount of the votes in the U.S. presidential race due to a narrow margin, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said on Friday.
Below is a roundup of recount laws in some battleground states:
ARIZONA
Automatic recount: Yes
Recount law: A recount is triggered when the margin of victory between two candidates is less than or equal to 0.1 percentage points of the total vote.
Deadline: There is no set deadline for completion of a recount.
Who pays: Depending on the race, automatic recounts are paid for by the state, county or town.
GEORGIA
Automatic recount: No
Recount law: A candidate can request a recount if the margin of victory is less than or equal to 0.5 percentage point of the total vote.
Deadline: A recount must be requested within two business days after results have been certified.
Who pays: State law does not specify who is responsible for recount costs.
MICHIGAN
Automatic recount: Yes
Recount law: A recount is required if the margin of victory is less than or equal to 2,000 votes.
Deadline: Request for a recount should be made within 48 hours of the vote canvass.
Who pays: The candidate requesting the recount.
NEVADA
Automatic recount: No
Recount law: A candidate who has been defeated can request a recount, regardless of the margin of victory.
Deadline: A recount must be requested within three business days after the state’s vote canvass.
Who pays: The candidate asking for the recount.
NORTH CAROLINA
Automatic recount: Yes
Recount law: A recount can be initiated if the margin of victory is less than or equal to 1 percentage point of the total vote.
Deadline: For offices governed by the state board of election, the deadline to request a recount is 12 p.m. on the second business day after the vote canvass. For offices governed by a county board of elections, the deadline is 5 p.m. on the first business day after the canvass.
Who pays: State law does not specify who pays.
PENNSYLVANIA
Automatic recount: Yes
Recount law: A recount is automatic if the margin of victory is less than or equal to 0.5 percentage point of the total vote. Two other avenues for requesting recounts include requiring at least three voter signatures that attest to an error in the vote tally, and going to state court to file petitions alleging fraud and error.
Deadline: By 5 p.m. on the second Thursday following the election, for automatic recounts. If a recount is requested, the deadline is five days after the election.
Who pays: The candidate requesting the recount.
WISCONSIN
Automatic recount: No
Recount law: A full or partial recount can be requested if the margin of victory is less than or equal to 1 percentage point of the total vote.
Deadline: For presidential elections, the request must be made by 5 p.m. on the first business day after the state’s vote canvass.
Who pays: The candidate requesting the recount, if the margin is more than 0.25 percentage point of the total vote.
(Reporting by Disha Raychaudhuri; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Tiffany Wu)
