(The Center Square) – Regular recounting, rather than a unique request, is taking place in a North Carolina primary election where the winner is just 23 votes ahead of a 13-term incumbent.
The State Board of Elections, meeting Wednesday, declined the request for any machine identifying an overvote or undervote to be counted by hand during the initial recount. State Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, made the ask in his quest to win a 14th term.
After canvassing on Friday, Berger trailed Sam Page 13,136-13,113. Berger has been president pro tempore of the chamber since Republicans won a majority in the historic 2010 midterms. Page has been sheriff of Rockingham County since 1998.
The recount is separate of four protests Berger filed that could impact 13 ballots. His campaign team believes 233 ballots are impacted total between protests and the recounts.
Should Berger remain behind following the machine recount, state law will still permit a hand-to-eye recount request. It’s just in a different step of the process.
Historically, recounts in the state seldom overturn Election Day results.
