Florida election recount: Rules behind close races
TAMPA, Fla. - Election officials are navigating tight margins and late ballot deadlines to determine final outcomes across several Florida counties.
Narrow races can trigger mandatory recounts, and thousands of challenged mail-in ballots remain in reserve unless a board decides they are needed.
Florida election recount rules
What we know:
Florida law orders an automatic machine recount if the margin of defeat is less than or equal to 0.50% of total votes. If the retabulation margin falls below 0.25%, the state orders an automatic manual hand recount.
Why does it take so long to call some races?
Voters whose vote-by-mail ballots were flagged for a missing or mismatched signature have until 5 p.m. on the second day following the election, which is the Thursday after Election Day, to submit a cure affidavit and identification to their county supervisor of elections, according to Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.
In a statewide or tight congressional race, thousands of cure-eligible mail ballots across counties can alter the final margin while challenged ballots sit in reserve as potentially valid votes.
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections states: "You may return your voted ballot by mail or courier. If you are overseas, you may also return your ballot by fax. Voters may not return a ballot via email, because state law requires an original signature on the ballot certificate envelope. Voted ballots must be received by 7 pm. Election Day."
The office also outlines the rules for late counting of overseas ballots: "If you are an overseas voter, your ballot will be counted if the ballot envelope is dated or postmarked no later than the day of the election and received up to 10 days after a General Election or Presidential Primary Election. Ballots that are returned by fax are not included in the late counting of ballots."
Uncalled remaining Congressional Districts in Florida
Congressional District 13 (Pinellas County): Anna Paulina Luna (R) vs. Leela Gray (D)
Congressional District 9 (Osceola & Orange County): Dan Green (R) vs. Darren Soto (D)
Congressional District 7 (Seminole & Orange County): Ryan Elijah (R) vs. Bale Dalton (D)
Congressional District 26: Mario Diaz-Balart (R) vs. Nicole Locklin (D)
Congressional District 27: Maria Elvira Salazar (R) vs. Eliott Rodriguez (D)
Check to see the winner in your district
Florida canvassing board outcomes
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed the final number of vote-by-mail ballots flagged for signature issues.
It is also unknown how many overseas ballots will arrive before the 10-day general election deadline expires.
Vote-by-mail signature cure deadline
What's next:
After the 5 p.m. Thursday deadline, county election boards will review corrected ballots to decide which ones get counted.
Staff will keep counting valid overseas mail-in ballots as long as they were postmarked on time and arrive within the 10-day window.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Florida Senate, the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, which detailed mail ballot cure deadlines, as well as guidance on Military and Overseas Voters explaining postmark and canvassing rules under Florida law.