NCSBE: Race to break NC House GOP supermajority heads for recount

Posted: Nov 20, 2024 / 07:21 AM EST

Updated: Nov 20, 2024 / 07:21 AM EST

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — There are more than 10 races in North Carolina where recounts have been requested in the 2024 General Election.

One that has many eyes on it is the race for Seat 6 of the NC Supreme Court. The requestor is Jefferson Griffin (R) who fell short to his Democrat opponent, Allison Riggs, by 625 votes on the initial count, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

This is a tight difference of just 0.01% of the more than 5.5 million votes cast statewide. In North Carolina contests such as this, the difference must be 10,000 votes or fewer for a second-place candidate to demand a recount.

Just after 5 p.m. Tuesday, the NCSBE confirmed the statewide, machine recount has been approved. The results at the end of this recount “will become the official results,” the board said.

“Recounts are a regular part of the elections process when contests are close, and they help ensure that the results are accurate and that the public can have confidence that the candidate who received the most votes wins the election,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections. “Recounts are conducted by bipartisan teams and are open to the public whenever and wherever they occur.”

Timing & how it works

Most of the state’s 100 counties will begin their recounts on Wednesday with all recounts set to be completed by Nov. 27. Bipartisan teams of election officials at all of the county boards of elections will conduct the recounts.

Who pays for recounts? According to the NCSBE, all costs associated with recounts are paid through county funds.

Members of these bipartisan teams will insert every ballot cast in the election into a tabulator, counting only the contest or contests eligible for the recount. For more details on the laws and guidelines of conducting recounts, including the situation in which a hand count could be demanded after the tabulator recount, take a look at this overview from the NCSBE.

NC House, Senate recount requests

In addition to the state’s highest court, recounts have also been requested for two NC House seats and two NC Senate seats. In each case, NCSBE results show a difference of less than 1% of votes between the unofficial winner and runner-up.

In House District 32, representing Granville and Vance counties, Frank Sossamon (R) has requested a recount. The difference in votes that gave Bryan Cohn (D) the lead is 233. For perspective, a total of 43,333 votes were cast in this race, making the difference a mere 0.54% of the vote.

Presumptive Democratic winner for NC House District 32 responded to Sossaman’s request for a recount by telling CBS 17:

“This race, among some others, is within the one-percent threshold and my opponent is exercising his right to call for that recount. If I was in his shoes, I would do the exact same thing—leave no stone unturned. So, I am confident in the process, I am confident that the results aren’t going to change. Our election officials in Vance and Granville counties have done a remarkably excellent job in certifying this election.”

In House District 25, representing Nash County, Lorenze Wilkins (D) has requested a recount. His opponent, Allen Chesser (R), ended with 461 more votes on the initial count. This is a 0.94% difference.

In Senate District 18, representing Granville and Wake counties, Ashlee Adams (R) has requested a recount against Democrat Terrence Everitt who wound up 134 votes ahead with all precincts reporting. This is down to a 0.11% difference.

In Senate District 42, representing Mecklenburg County, Stacie McGinn (R) wants a recount as well. Her opponent, Woodson Bradley (D), gained 204 more votes than her in the initial count. This is a 0.16% difference.