Tight Florida Governor’s Race Could Result In Dreaded Recount
Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic challenger Charlie Crist.
(Source: CBS4)
Politics
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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) – One of the dirtiest words in Florida election history could be uttered on November 4th. The gubernatorial candidates could demand the dreaded recount.
“Oh, no, the R-word,” Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley told CBS4’s news partner the Miami Herald. “It’s going to be a close one. We’re ready.”
Polls have shown both Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic candidate Charlie Crist are essentially deadlocked. Whatever the survey, both have marginal leads that fall within the margin of error. This has prompted both parties to be ready for the inevitable stalemate.
The standstill would be reminiscent of the five-week long Florida recount that followed the 2000 presidential election.
“Expect the unexpected,” said Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent.
A machine recount is required when the margin between two candidates is half of a percentage point or less. So if half of Florida turns out to vote – approximately six million people – 30,000 votes could be the difference factor.
For an example of how close the margin really is, just take a look at the gubernatorial election four years ago. When Scott beat Democrat Alex Sink by 61,550 votes – 1.2 percent out of the 5.4 million votes cast – the winner wasn’t known until the next morning.
“I think it’s going to be a little bit closer than it was four years ago,” predicted Miami lawyer Juan-Carlos Planas, a former state legislator who has been involved in several recount cases. “Everybody on our side is here to be sure the law is followed.”
A recount must be ordered by Secretary of State Ken Detzner, a Scott appointee.
If it comes down to that, two things would occur.
First is a machine recount that double-checks the totals. If at any point the automated machines bring the gap between the candidates to a quarter of a percentage point or less, a manual recount would take place of all undervotes and overvotes.
“The pool of disputed ballots has to be greater than the difference,” said lawyer Mark Herron, who advises Democrats.
- Undervote: Occurs when a voter casts no vote in a race
- Overvote: Occurs when a voter chooses more than one candidate
These issues have declined since Florida abandoned abandoned punch-card ballots following the fiasco in 2000.
Crist ordered the change to optical scan paper ballots when he took office in 2007.
If it is too close to call, the microscope would be put on Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach; the three largest counties.
“In the big counties, it’s most likely to be contentious, and it’s where strange things are most likely to happen,” said Republican strategist J.M. “Mac” Stipanovich.
A candidate can contest an election on four grounds, including ineligibility of the winning candidate to hold office; evidence of illegal votes or legal votes that weren’t counted; proof that an election official was bribed; or misconduct, fraud or corruption by a canvassing board member.
“That’s why it’s so intriguing. You’ve got 67 separate buckets out there,” Herron said. “But you’ve got to have enough votes to change the result in order to have a credible argument.”
Chances are neither candidate will concede Tuesday night is the results are close. The issue could be taken to the courts the leading candidate would demand a quick resolution and the trailing candidate would try to expand the universe of votes.
No matter what happens, the final results must be certified by 9a.m. Tuesday, Nov.18.
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