Recount laws in Alaska
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An election recount is a process by which votes cast in an election are re-tabulated to verify the accuracy of the original results. Recounts typically occur in the event of a close margin of victory, following accusations of election fraud, or due to the possibility of administrative errors. Recounts can either occur automatically or be requested by a candidate or voters.
Alaska law requires automatic recounts when a tie vote occurs. A defeated candidate or group of voters can request a recount if they believe there was a mistake made when counting the votes. The state pays for recounts in certain close elections, otherwise the requester must pay for any recount costs. A refund is available if the recount changes the outcome of the election and/or changes the percentage of votes for the requester by 4% or more.
Summary of recount laws
The list below shows answers to common questions regarding recounts in Alaska.[1][2][3]
- Does state law require automatic recounts?
- Yes, when a tie vote occurs.
- When must an automatic recount be completed?
- No set deadline.
- Can a recount be requested?
- Yes, the recount must be requested within five days of state certification, or within three days for the gubernatorial or lieutenant gubernatorial general election. No margin is required. The deadline to complete a requested recount is no later than ten days after the start of the recount.
- Who pays for a requested recount?
- Varies. The state, if the margin of victory is less than 20 votes or 0.5% of the votes cast. The requester, if the results are outside of those margins.
- Is a refund available for requested recount costs?
- Yes. Costs paid by the requester are refunded if the recount changes the election outcome or changes the percentage of votes for the requester by 4% or more. The state covers the cost of the recount if the results are within a specific close vote margin.
- Can a partial recount be requested?
- Yes.
- What about recall elections? Are they subject to recounts?
- According to the Alaska Division of Elections, recall elections are subject to the state's recount laws.[4]
Alaska recount procedures
Automatic recount procedures
If two or more candidates receive a tie vote, state law requires an automatic recount paid for by the state. State law does not specify a set deadline for the completion of an automatic recount.[1]
Requested recount procedures
A defeated candidate or group of ten qualified voters can request a recount if they believe there was a mistake made when counting the votes. The deadline to request a recount is within three days of the certification of a general election for governor or lieutenant governor and within five days for all other elections.[5] The deadline to complete a requested recount is no later than ten days after the start of the recount.[6]
The state pays for the requested recount if the margin of victory is less than 0.5% of the votes cast or fewer than 20 votes. If the margin of victory is greater than those covered by the state, the requester is responsible for costs associated with the recount. Any costs paid are refunded if the recount changes the outcome of the election and/or changes the percentage of votes for the requester by 4% or more.[2]
For more information about recount procedures in Alaska, click here.
Alaska voting equipment
- See also: Voting methods and equipment by state
Alaska uses hand-marked paper ballots, ballot-marking devices and Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) systems for its elections. The state does require a voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) when conducting elections. According to the Election Assistance Commission, in a VVPAT system, "the voter can directly compare the electronic summary screen of the voting machine with the printed paper audit record" to verify their vote is counted correctly.[7][8]
Noteworthy events
Alaska House of Representatives election District 27 (2020)
A group of eleven qualified voters requested a recount in House District 27. Prior to the recount, Liz Snyder (D) led incumbent House Minority Leader, Lance Pruitt (R), by thirteen votes. As a result of the recount, Snyder defeated Pruitt by eleven votes.[9] This recount had the ability to change the partisan control of the chamber from a minority coaltion to Republican control. After assuming office, Snyder joined the multipartisan minority coalition, which retained control of the chamber.
Alaska House of Representatives District 1 election (2018)
Prior to the recount in District 1, Bart Lebon (R) and Kathryn Dodge (D) were tied. The recount was automatically initiated as required by state law. As a result of the recount, LeBon defeated Dodge by one vote.
50-state overview of recount laws
The table below summarizes where state laws allow for automatic and requested recounts. Click "show" to view the table.
As of September 2025, state law in 48 states included a recount provision, automatic recounts are possible in 28 states, and requested recounts are possible in 43 states.
50-state overview of requested recounts
The table below summarizes how requested recounts are paid for and whether it is possible for candidates to request a partial recount. Click "show" to view the table.
As of September 2025, the requester of a recount pays for the recount in 23 states, the state pays in seven states, and in 11 states it depends on the circumstances of the election or the recount. In 27 states a refund may be available for a requested recount, in four states a refund depends on the circumstances of the recount, and in five states no refund is available. Requested recounts are not possible in the remaining 14 states. In 27 states a partial recount may be requested.
| State[12] | Who pays for a requested recount? | Refund available? | Can candidates request a partial recount? | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Requester | Yes | Yes | 16-20,21 |
| Alaska | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 20.430-490 |
| Arizona | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 16-661,249 |
| Arkansas | Requester | Yes | No | 7-5-319 |
| California | Requester | Yes | Yes | 15620-15634 |
| Colorado | Requester | Yes | No | 10.5-101-109 |
| Connecticut | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 9-445,6-311a |
| Delaware | State | N/A | Yes | 5702(C,E) |
| District of Columbia | Requester | Yes | Yes | 1-1001.11(a) |
| Florida | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 102.141,166 |
| Georgia | State | N/A | Yes | 21-2-495,499 |
| Hawaii | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 11-158 |
| Idaho | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 34-2301-2309 |
| Illinois | Requester | Maybe[13] | Yes | 5/22-9.1, 18 |
| Indiana | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3-12-11-1-10 |
| Iowa | State | N/A | No | 43.56 & 50.48 |
| Kansas | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 25-3107 |
| Kentucky | Requester | No | Yes | 120.017,095,185,250,280 |
| Louisiana | Requester | Yes | Yes | 18-1451 & 1453 |
| Maine | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | No | 737-A |
| Maryland | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 12-101-107 |
| Massachusetts | State | N/A | Yes | 54:135,A,B |
| Michigan | Requester | Yes | Yes | 168.879-894 |
| Minnesota | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 204C.35-361 |
| Mississippi | No requested recounts | N/A | No | N/A |
| Missouri | Requester | Maybe[14] | No | 115.601 |
| Montana | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Maybe[15] | No | 13-16-201-11 |
| Nebraska | Requester | Yes | Yes | 32-1119,1121 |
| Nevada | Requester | Yes | No | 293.403-405 |
| New Hampshire | State/Requester Depends on election type[16] |
Varies[17] | No | 660:1-16 |
| New Jersey | Requester | Yes | Yes | 19:28-1,2,3 |
| New Mexico | Requester | Yes | Yes | 1-14-14 to 25 |
| New York | Unclear[18] | No | No | 9-208 |
| North Carolina | State | N/A | No | 163-182.7,182.7A |
| North Dakota | Requester | No | No | 16.1-16-01 |
| Ohio | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3515.01-072 |
| Oklahoma | Requester | Yes | Yes | 26-8-109 to 117 |
| Oregon | Requester | Yes | Yes | 258.006-300 |
| Pennsylvania | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3154g,3261-3 |
| Rhode Island | Unclear[19] | No | No | 17-19-37.1 |
| South Carolina | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 7-17-280 |
| South Dakota | State | N/A | Yes | 12-21-1 to 37 |
| Tennessee | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 2-17,18 |
| Texas | Requester | Yes | Yes | 211 to 216 |
| Utah | State/Requester Depends on requester[20] |
No | No | 20A-4-401 |
| Vermont | State | N/A | No | 17-51-2601,2602 |
| Virginia | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | No | 8-24.2-800 to 802.3 |
| Washington | Requester | Yes | Yes | 29A.64 |
| West Virginia | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3-6-9 |
| Wisconsin | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 9.01 & 5.90 |
| Wyoming | Requester | Yes | No | 22-16-109 to 114 |
State legislation
The table below lists bills related to recounts introduced during (or carried over to) Alaska's regular legislative session this year. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
See also
- Election recount laws and procedures in the 50 states
- Voting in Alaska
- Alaska
- Voting methods and equipment by state
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Alaska State Legislature, "AS 15.20.430", accessed September 17, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Alaska State Legislature, "AS 15.15.450," accessed September 17, 2025
- ↑ The Alaska State Legislature, "AS 15.15.460," accessed September 17, 2025
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Public Information Packet on Recall for State Office," accessed September 26, 2025
- ↑ The Alaska State Legislature, "AS 15.20.430," accessed September 17, 2025
- ↑ The Alaska State Legislature, "AS 15.20.480," accessed September 17, 2025
- ↑ Verified Voting, "The Verifier - Election Day Equipment - November 2026," accessed September 17, 2025
- ↑ U.S. Election Assistance Commission, "Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, Volume 1, Version 1.0" accessed September 17, 2025
- ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Recount affirms an 11-vote win for Democrat Liz Snyder in Anchorage House race," Dec. 4, 2020
- ↑ Verified Voting, "Arizona Recount Laws," accessed September 25, 2025
- ↑ A court may order a recount under Arizona law.
- ↑ This category encompasses instances where the state government pays for recounts and those states where counties pay.
- ↑ A recount alone cannot change the election results, but can be used to contest the election. At the end of that process, the court may choose not to levy costs against the prevailing party.
- ↑ Recounts occur as part of a contested election. A requester may be required to cover costs before the start of such an event. The court may choose to require the unsuccessful party in a contested election to cover the costs, which could involve a refund to the requester if he or she is the successful party.
- ↑ In the case of a court-ordered recount, candidates must pay, but will be refunded if the outcome changes. Regarding non-court-ordered recounts, state law does not mention whether the candidate is refunded in such a case.
- ↑ The state covers requested recounts of statewide constitutional amendments. The requester covers all other recounts.
- ↑ For local and county ballot measure elections, state law does not mention the possibility of a refund. For all other recounts, costs paid by the requester are refunded if the recount changes the election outcome.
- ↑ No mention in state law.
- ↑ No mention in state law.
- ↑ The state pays for candidate-requested recounts. The requester pays for voter-requested recounts of ballot measures.
