How Rare Are Florida Recounts?

Florida Recount - About Recounts... How rare they are & how rarely anything changes 

Bottom Line: With Florida once again producing elections that will head to a recount, the question becomes... Will anything change? It’s natural and in South Florida, we’re especially sensitive to the topic. If political stress is an issue for you-you potentially could have PTSD from 2000 (and I’m only somewhat kidding). First, recounts themselves in state-wide races are extremely rare. How rare?  

Since 2000, only .006% of statewide elections have resulted in a recount 

That’s about one recount for every 174 elections if you’re keeping track. So, to have two in one election cycle in the same state – now that’s super rare. Leave it to Florida! But what about the recounts themselves? How often does the race flip during a recount? 

 11% of recounts since 2000 have resulted in a change 

So, nearly nine out of every ten don’t change. But some might think that 11% is even more reason for concern. But here’s the final number that matters in this conversation. The number of votes that actually flip in state-wide recounts. 

282 votes 

In the average state-wide election only 282 votes flip from one candidate to another.  The most votes that have ever flipped in a state-wide recount is 1,247 (that was during Florida’s 2000 Presidential recount). Those are numbers to consider as we wait for the dust & votes to settle in Florida in advance of the recount.


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