Nine legislative and congressional races in North Carolina have vote differences close enough to allow for a possible recount, following the November 3 midterm elections.
These include three races for the U.S. House of Representatives, one for the state Senate, and five for the state House of Representatives, according to the Unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
The margins of difference are between just 81 votes and a little over 2,000. Although all precincts have reported results, the figures may still change due to the inclusion of outstanding votes and pre-certification election reviews on November 13.
According to state legislation, A candidate who loses a non-state election by a margin of 1% or less of the votes cast may request a recount. The process is not automatic; it must be requested.
A contest could determine control of the state Senate
In North Carolina's 24th Senate district, Republican Danny Britt maintains a lead of just 228 votes over Democrat Catina Hamm.
Britt has 28,047 votes, equivalent to 50.2%, compared to Hamm's 27,819, or 49.8%. The difference is 0.41% after the provisional ballots in the counties of Robeson, Hoke, and Scotland were counted.
The outcome could determine which party controls the state Senate, made up of 50 legislators.
If Britt maintains his lead, Republicans would retain a 26-24 majority. A Hamm victory would leave the House tied 25-25, allowing Democratic Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt to cast tie-breaking votes.
Britt thanked everyone for their efforts in counting all valid votes on Tuesday, November 10. He also expressed confidence that Republicans would retain control of the state Senate.
Hamm could request a recount if, after certification, the difference remains within the margin established by law.
Democrats have already won enough seats to regain control of the state House of Representatives for the first time since 2010.
Congress: Murphy concedes defeat and Foxx still refuses to concede
In the 3rd district of the federal House of Representatives, the Republican congressman Greg Murphy He conceded defeat to Democrat Raymond Smith on Wednesday, November 11, after the recount of additional votes changed the election result.
Smith has 118,488 votes, compared to Murphy's 118,195, a difference of 293 votes. This equates to a difference of 0.12% between the two candidates.
On election night, Murphy held a 233-vote lead. However, the subsequent count put Smith in the lead.
The difference still meets the legal requirements for a recount, but Murphy has already conceded the result in Smith's favor.
In District 5, Democrat Chuck Hubbard also widened her lead over the Republican congresswoman Virginia Foxx, who has held the seat since 2005.
Hubbard has 139,788 votes, compared to Foxx's 139,453, a difference of 335 votes. This is equivalent to a 0.12% difference, according to unofficial results updated on Wednesday.
On election night, the lead was a mere 99 votes. During the recount of provisional ballots, Foxx briefly took the lead before Hubbard regained it.
Foxx has not conceded defeat. Previously He requested the presence of non-partisan election observers., under the supervision of the House Administration Committee, to monitor the count.
Foxx could still request a recount after the certification of the results.
A third congressional race remains within the legal limits: that of district 7, where Republican David Rouzer leads Democrat Kimberly Hardy.
Rouzer has 160,701 votes, compared to Hardy's 158,431. This represents a difference of 0.71% of the unofficial votes.
Five state House races remain closed
Five other North Carolina House of Representatives elections could face recounts.
In all of them, the Democratic candidates maintain advantages of less than 1% of the votes cast, counting provisional ballots.
These districts were previously composed of Republican representatives.
What are the districts?
The narrowest race is in District 20, in New Hanover. Democrat Tim Merrick leads Republican Dane Scalise by just 81 votes.
Merrick has accumulated 22,160 votes, compared to Scalise's 22,079, which is equivalent to a difference of 0.18% of the votes.
In District 9, in Pitt, Democrat Claire Kempner extended her lead over Republican Representative Tim Reeder to 226 votes, a difference of 0.62% of the vote.
In District 62, in Guilford, Democrat Shelly Headen maintains a 262-vote lead over Republican Representative John Blust. That's a difference of 0.62% of the vote.
In District 63, in Alamance, former Burlington Mayor Ian Baltutis, a Democrat, increased his lead over Republican Ryan Moffitt to 288 votes. The difference is 0.88%.
The Alamance Electoral Board added 357 ballots to the count. Furthermore, it still needed to resolve the status of another 32 votes before certifying the results.
Finally, in District 93, which includes Ashe, Alleghany, and Watauga counties, Democrat Charlie Wallin widened his lead over Republican Representative Ray Pickett. The difference is 345 votes, or 0.91%.
Some candidates, such as Shelly Headen and Ian Baltutis, are already considered winners by political leaders. However, their opponents could still request a recount if they remain within the legal limits.
| District | Candidate for the front | Vote advantage | Percentage difference |
| 20 (New Hanover) | Tim Merrick (D) | 81 | 0.18 % |
| 9 (Pitt) | Claire Kempner (D) | 226 | 0.62 % |
| 62 (Guilford) | Shelly Headen (D) | 262 | 0.62 % |
| 63 (Alamance) | Ian Baltutis (D) | 288 | 0.88 % |
| 93 (Ashe, Alleghany and Watauga) | Charlie Wallin (D) | 345 | 0.91 % |
When could the recounts be requested?
The election boards of North Carolina's 100 counties plan to complete the certification process of the Results on Friday, November 13th.
Before that date, the authorities must finish reviewing the provisional ballots and the other votes pending counting.
Votes from military personnel and U.S. citizens residing abroad, sent no later than Election Day, may be received until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 12.
Under state law, candidates who lose by a margin equal to or less than 1% of the votes may request a recount.
The deadline for filing ballots is Monday, November 16 at 5:00 pm for races under the jurisdiction of county boards of elections. For races overseen by the NCSBE, including congressional elections, the deadline is Tuesday, November 17 at noon.
The recounts would begin with a recount of the ballots using voting machines. Depending on the results, further recounts could be conducted. Additional manual revisions.
The State Board of Elections plans to certify the contests under its jurisdiction on November 24.
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