With votes in the 2020 presidential election still being counted in many states, President Donald Trump’s campaign says it intends to call for a recount in Wisconsin, a state that has been called for Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
In Georgia, election officials on Friday said they will be holding a recount of votes in the presidential election.
What is involved in a recount? It varies state-to-state. Here’s a look at the recount process in the five states that would be most likely to see a request for one.
Arizona
When the vote between the top two candidates in a race is equal to or less than one-tenth of 1% of all votes cast, state law requires a recount.
Georgia
In Georgia, a candidate can request a recount when the difference between the two candidates is less than 0.5% of the votes cast. The request must come within two days of the results being certified.
Michigan
In Michigan, an automatic recount is triggered when the margin between two presidential candidates is 2,000 votes or less.
Or, a candidate can ask for a recount if that person alleges fraud or a mistake and “would have had a reasonable chance of winning the election.”
Such a petition must be filed within 48 hours after the count is completed.
Nevada
The candidate who loses a race in Nevada can request a recount if he or she does it within three days of the final canvass of votes, according to Nevada law.
The candidate must put down a deposit to cover the projected cost of the recount. They get the deposit back if they win. They don’t if they lose.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s election law states that the secretary of state is required to order a recount if the winning margin is 0.5% or less. The recount would have to be ordered by 5 p.m. on Nov. 12 and completed by Nov. 24.
A countywide recount can be triggered if it is requested by three voters.
Wisconsin
Under Wisconsin state law, a candidate can request a recount if the margin between the candidates is less than 1%. The request must be made no later than 5 p.m. on the third business day after the state has received final results from the state’s counties.
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