The small margin between Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and victor Sen.-elect Dave McCormick (R-PA) has triggered an automatic recount.
Pennsylvania law requires a recount if the margin between two candidates in a statewide election is within 0.5%. Election recounts can also be initiated if one party raises concerns of potential electoral fraud, or administrative errors are detected or alleged. Three voters can also trigger a vote recount within their precinct if they lodge claims of alleged electoral fraud.
Meanwhile, GOP’s McCormick garnered 3,383,676 votes, or 48.91% of the total valid ballots cast, while Democratic Party’s Casey received 3,357,191, or 48.52%, with the margin between the two candidates being 26,485 votes or 0.39%, which is within the recount margin.
The recount must start by Wednesday, November 20 once the counties complete their tallying, and it must conclude by noon, November 26. Final results must published not earlier than November 27.
Despite Casey’s reluctance to concede in the face of the inevitable recount and projected loss, GOP’s McCormick’s victory isn’t in doubt to anyone else but him, pushing the number of the Republican Senate seats to 53. The Republican Senator-elect has already attended the new-senator orientation in Washington D.C., suggesting