How Much Does An Election Recount Cost?

When election margins are razor-thin or disputed, candidates and officials can request a recount to verify vote totals and confirm the accuracy of results. But how much does it cost to recount votes in a contested election? The price tag for election recounts varies based on factors like the number of ballots, whether it’s done manually or by machine, legal fees, and state regulations.

This article will break down the typical costs associated with recounting votes in different types of elections. We’ll look at what triggers a recount, who pays for it, the step-by-step recounting process, and how expenses can add up quickly between labor, court filings, and more. Read on for insights into the budget impact of ensuring fair and honest election outcomes.

How Much Does An Election Recount Cost?

Election recount costs can range from a few thousand dollars for small local races up to millions of dollars for statewide presidential contests, with most recounts costing in the range of $100,000 to $2 million depending on the number of jurisdictions involved, whether machine or manual review is conducted, and legal fees incurred. The minimum recount cost for a small local election with just a few thousand votes might be around $5,000, while a maximum cost for a full statewide hand recount including extensive litigation could potentially exceed $10 million.

Conducting a vote recount requires significant expenditures, especially for statewide contests. The major factors that can multiply costs include:

Number of Ballots to Recount – The raw number of cast votes directly increases the time and labor involved in recounting. Presidential and statewide races often have millions of ballots, escalating costs.

Manual Hand Recount vs. Machine Rescan – Hand counting each paper ballot is far more expensive than simply re-scanning ballots through tabulation machines, but considered the “gold standard.”

Legal and Filing Fees – Campaigns almost always hire lawyers to oversee or contest recounts, adding legal costs that can pile up quickly with court motions.

Individual State Regulations and Fees – Some states partially subsidize candidate-funded recounts or limit filing fees to lower cost barriers for petitioners.

Number of Jurisdictions Involved – Recounts across multiple counties or districts magnify organizational and transport logistics.

With those cost drivers in mind, recent history provides ballpark estimates of what statewide recounts have cost:

• Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential recount cost the Trump campaign nearly $3 million for just two counties.
• Georgia taxpayers spent an estimated $500,000 on the 2020 presidential hand recount.
• A district hand recount in Florida’s 2018 midterms ran taxpayers about $50,000.
• Estimates for Michigan’s halted 2016 presidential recount projected costs could exceed $5 million.
• Minnesota’s 2008 high-profile U.S. Senate recount ultimately cost nearly $460,000.

So even partial recounts can easily cost six or seven figures, while comprehensive statewide recounts of millions of ballots may ring up bills in the millions depending on the process and complexity.

According to The Miami Hurricane, the cost of a recount can vary significantly based on whether it is automatic or requested by a candidate. In cases where a recount is automatically triggered due to a close margin, the costs are typically covered by taxpayer dollars. For example, in Wisconsin, a recount requested by the Trump campaign in 2020 cost around $3 million. In other instances, the requesting party must provide a deposit, which is refunded if the recount changes the election outcome.

On Pennsylvania’s Department of State, the estimated cost for a statewide recount in the 2024 U.S. Senate race is expected to exceed $1 million. This cost is covered by taxpayer funds due to the automatic recount provision triggered by a margin of less than half a percentage point. Historical recounts in Pennsylvania have ranged from $525,006.70 to $1,117,180, depending on the scope and complexity of the process.

The California Secretary of State notes that the cost of a recount varies by county and must be prepaid by the requesting party. The exact cost is determined by the county elections official and is typically required for each day of the recount process.

Lastly, Minnesota’s Secretary of State outlines that recounts in Minnesota are publicly funded if they are automatic, meaning they occur due to a close margin. However, specific costs for these recounts are not detailed, though they are generally covered by public funds.

Conditions That Trigger an Election Recount

Election recounts can either be automatically mandated based on state laws or requested by a candidate. Here are the circumstances that lead to each:

Mandatory Automatic Recounts – Most states require an automatic recount paid for by taxpayers if victory margins between the top candidates fall below a defined percentage. For example, a 0.5% or lower vote spread would trigger an automatic recount in Florida. States aim to avoid doubts about razor-thin margins.

Discretionary Candidate-Requested Recounts – Beyond mandatory recounts, individual candidates can pursue optional recounts funded by their campaigns if they stay within a statutory cutoff, usually around 1-2% margin depending on local statutes. Candidates must proactively file petitions and supply deposit money in hopes votes swing the outcome in their favor.

So automatic vs. candidate-initiated determines whether taxpayers or campaigns foot the bill. The cost burden shifts depending on the cause of the recount.

State vs. Campaign Financed Recounts

Who pays for election recounts depends on whether it’s an automatic recount or a discretionary request:

State-Funded Automatic Recounts – For mandatory recounts prescribed by law when margins hit trigger thresholds, taxpayers cover costs through state and county budgets.

Candidate-Funded Discretionary Recounts – When candidates voluntarily petition for expanded recounts, the requesting campaign must put down a deposit upfront to cover all costs, only sometimes reimbursed later.

Some states partially reimburse campaign deposits if a recount changes the outcome in their favor. But most campaigns must front the costs with no guarantee of flipping the results.

Also check out our article about the cost of running for president.

Step-by-Step Process

Conducting an accurate recount involves carefully controlled processes and observation:

1. Initiate Recount Request or Trigger Automatic Review – The candidate must properly request a recount or automatic procedures get activated once vote margins are officially certified.
2. Secure and Retrieve All Ballots – Voted ballots must be carefully retrieved from local governments via controlled procedures. Chain of custody is mandatory.
3. The Actual Recount Process –Trained recount workers, observed by party representatives, reassess ballot validity and re-tabulate results for certification.
4. Verify and Certify Revised Outcomes – Revised vote totals must ultimately get certified as the new official outcome after any changes emerge.

Well-controlled ballot security and the systematic re-examination involved drive up labor, facilities, and oversight costs quickly.

Recount Controversies and Legal Disputes

Given the stakes, some high-profile recounts have sparked major controversies and lawsuits:

• The 2000 Bush vs. Gore Florida recount ended in a divisive Supreme Court ruling critics still dispute.
• Jill Stein’s 2016 recount push in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania also generated strife over technicalities.
• Numerous recounts have centered on accusations of voter fraud or election official misconduct. Litigation is common when margins are tiny.

The potential to reverse election outcomes fuels legal battles over minor procedural flaws that escalate costs.

Final Words

Election recounts can carry hefty price tags depending on their scale and method. While expensive, they play a crucial role in confirming accurate vote totals in extremely close races. The costs involved must be weighed against the importance of producing definitive, fair, and transparent election results that maintain public confidence in the democratic process.

In tight contests, paying for rigorous recounts may be worth the expense. However, for clear landslide margins beyond most recount thresholds, the costs often couldn’t plausibly impact outcomes or may exceed benefits absent major evidence of irregularities.

Answers to Common Questions

When can you ask for a recount in an election?

The requirements to request a recount in an election vary by state, but some common conditions include:

• The vote margin between candidates falls below a legally defined threshold, often 0.5% or 1-2% in many states.
• Specific procedures are followed to formally request the recount in a timeframe after certification of results.
• The candidate requesting the recount covers costs by paying a deposit, filing fees, etc. Automatic recounts may have different funding.
• Those requesting prove they have reasonable grounds to believe errors occurred that a recount could potentially change.

So while each state differs, close margins, proper filing processes, upfront costs, and valid concerns over vote accuracy enable most recount petitions. The time window to file ranges from a few days to a few weeks after an election.

Who Can Request a Recount?

Typical parties permitted to request election recounts include:

• The top candidates in a race, such as governor, secretary of state, etc.
• State political party chairs affiliated with those candidates.
• Jurisdictional election officials who manage elections.
• Groups of voters who petition and meet requirements to demand a recount.
• Candidates for lower offices like mayor or state legislature races in some states.

Most states only allow requests from candidates in the specific contested race and their party leaders. But officials and petition drives can also sometimes access recounts depending on local laws. Eligibility varies.

When Can a Recount Request Be Submitted?

Timeframes to submit recount requests are set by each state but tend to follow similar deadlines:

• For automatic recounts, the state will initiate once vote margins are certified after the election canvas period.
• For candidate-initiated recounts, the filing deadline typically falls between 3-10 days after final certification of election outcomes.
• Some states have different deadlines for presidential vs. non-presidential races.
• A few states allow requests before official certification if ballots are fully counted.

So most states mandate recount requests within a 1-2 week window once election results are confirmed. The short time frame prevents prolonged uncertainty and delay in finalizing outcomes.