Lawmakers are considering a measure that would lower the threshold to trigger a mandatory recount in an election.
Currently, a mandatory recount occurs when the difference in votes between two candidates is equal to or less than 100 votes or 0.25%.
HB129 would use the same figures, but change that threshold to whichever is lesser.
Chief Election Officer Scott Nago told Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Karl Rhodes that the 100-vote margin has been too wide in recent elections to change the result of a race.
“In the past two elections we've done 11 recounts, only one of them actually met the threshold for percentage, everything else is within 100 votes,” Nago said.
Nago gave an example where candidates could differ by 87 votes, but it's actually a 6.3% difference, which is unlikely to be overturned by a recount.
The bill also would increase the amount of time the Office of Elections has to announce the result of a recount from 72 hours to five business days.
Nago said the office would likely not take the full five days but wanted to give employees more time if needed.
HB129 was carried over from the last session and passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday.
