Recount laws in Washington
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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.
Washington law requires an automatic recount if the margin in a race is within a certain amount. A candidate or political party offices may also request a recount, as can a group of voters regarding a ballot measure. The requester is responsible for costs associated with the recount, although a refund is available if the recount changes the outcome of the election.
Summary of recount laws
The list below shows answers to common questions regarding recounts in Washington.[1]
- Does state law require automatic recounts?
- Yes. A machine recount occurs when the margin is less than 2,000 votes and less than 0.5% total votes cast for the top two candidates. Smaller margins described below necessitate manual recounts. An automatic recount is also required if a partial recount changes an election outcome.
- When must an automatic recount be completed?
- No set deadline.
- Can a recount be requested?
- Yes, the recount can be requested within two days of certification. No margin is required and there is no set deadline for completion.
- Who pays for a requested recount?
- The requester.
- Is a refund available for requested recount costs?
- Yes. Costs paid by the requester are refunded if the recount changes the election outcome. In the event that a recount does not change the election outcome, a requester can receive a refund if the amount paid was greater than the actual cost of the recount.
- Can a partial recount be requested?
- Yes.
- What about recall elections? Are they subject to recounts?
- Recall elections in Washington are subject to recounts.[2]
Washington recount procedures
Automatic recount procedures
Washington requires an automatic machine recount under the following circumstances:
- For any election: if the number of votes cast for the closest defeated candidate is less than 2,000 and less than 0.5% of the total number of votes cast for both candidates.[3]
A manual recount is required for narrower margins:[3]
- For statewide elections: if the difference in the number of votes cast for the apparent winner and the closest defeated candidate is less than 1,000 votes and less than 0.25% of the total number of votes cast for both candidates.
- For non-statewide elections: if the difference in the number of votes cast for the apparent winner and the closest defeated candidates is less than 150 votes and less than 0.25% of the total number of votes cast for both candidates.
A full recount is also automatically required if a requested partial recount changes an election outcome.[4]
These requirements are the same for elections featuring candidates and those regarding statewide ballot measures. They do not apply to local ballot measures.[5] State law does not specify a deadline for the completion of an automatic recount.
Requested recount procedures
Washington allows requested recounts using the following guidelines:
| “ | An officer of a political party or any person for whom votes were cast at any election may file a written application for a recount of the votes or a portion of the votes cast at that election for all candidates for election to that office.
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” |
| —RCW 29A.64.011 | ||
The requester is responsible for costs associated with the recount unless the recount changes the election outcome, in which case the costs are refunded. A requester may also receive a refund if the amount paid for the recount is greater than the actual cost of the recount.[7] The deadline to request a recount is within two business days after the election canvass.[8] State law does not specify a deadline for the completion of a requested recount.
For more information about recount procedures in Washington, click here.
Washington voting equipment
- See also: Voting methods and equipment by state
Washington conducts elections by mail. Election Day voting center use hand-marked paper ballots and ballot-marking devices.[9]
Noteworthy events
Washington gubernatorial election (2004)
- See also: Governor of Washington
Prior to the recount, Dino Rossi (R) led Christine Gregoire (D) by 261 votes. The recount was automatically initiated as required by state law. A first electronic recount reduced Rossi's lead to 42 votes. A hand recount requested by the state Democratic Party resulted in Gregoire victory by 129 votes, a swing of 390 votes for Gregoire.[10]
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[13] | 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[14] | 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[15] | No | 115.601 |
| Montana | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Maybe[16] | 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[17] |
Varies[18] | 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[19] | 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[20] | 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[21] |
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) Washington'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 Washington
- Washington
- Voting methods and equipment by state
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "29A.64," accessed September 24, 2025
- ↑ The Center Square, "Recount in Kshama Sawant recall could cost more than $10,000," December 15, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Washington State Legislature, "29A.64.021," accessed September 24, 2025
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 29A.64.050," accessed September 24, 2025
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Recount Elections," accessed September 24, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 29A.64.081," accessed September 24, 2025
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "29A.64.011," accessed September 24, 2025
- ↑ Verified Voting, "The Verifier - Election Day Equipment - November 2026," accessed September 24, 2025
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedwapo - ↑ 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.
