Rick Scott tweeted a few minutes ago that his lead statewide increased over Bill Nelson after the machine-recount was over:
With the statewide machine recount finished, our margin of victory has increased by nearly 1000 votes. @SenBillNelson, it’s time to admit this race is over.
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) November 15, 2018
He’s calling for Nelson to concede, but fat chance of that happening. Marc Elias has just tweeted that they are suing to get a hand recount in Palm Beach County where they failed to meet the deadline today:
BREAKING: We have sued Palm Beach County and the Florida Sec of State to require a hand count of all ballots in the county due to systematic machine failure during the machine recount.
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) November 15, 2018
Right now the question remains statewide whether the Secretary of State will call for a hand recount or not. The difference has to be within .25% in order for a hand recount to be issued. I’m seeing on Twitter that some expect a hand recount to be called just for the Senate race, but not for the Governor’s race.
So you’re probably wondering about Broward County? They did meet the deadline and everyone lost votes in their recount:
In Broward County, it looks like candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and Agricultural Commissioner lost votes after the recount:#FloridaRecount pic.twitter.com/WYplcYfEh3
— Aric Chokey (@aric_chokey) November 15, 2018
So back to the anticipated hand recount. Here’s how the process of that will unfold by CBS 4 investigative reporter Jim DeFede:
Whose ready for a hand recount!
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) November 15, 2018
In anticipation of manual recounts in the Senate and Ag Commissioner races, here is a quick tutorial on the rules of the hand recount.
Rule One: Never Talk About Hand Recount!
Why? Because they are confusing. But let's give it a try. @CBSMiami 1/
Here is the most important rule issued by the state: The entire ballot must be reviewed for consistency. If the voter fills out all of the races one way (filling in the bubble) but then circles a name in the race to be recounted, that circled vote doesn't count. 2/ pic.twitter.com/cpu7lIVpW9
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) November 15, 2018
But if there is no consistency, then it gets interesting. That's when we enter the world of the voter's intent. Here are a few examples of what would be considered valid votes for "Lucille Ball." 3/ pic.twitter.com/dD7yAGbc5U
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) November 15, 2018
And here are some more valid votes for the first lady of comedy who was amazing in the 1974 production of "Mame." 4/ pic.twitter.com/8NsHQ81QoW
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) November 15, 2018
And here are some examples of where depending on how shaky your line or check mark might be you will either be casting a vote that gets counted or your vote is ruled invalid. 5/ pic.twitter.com/PA6TmArucw
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) November 15, 2018
So how will this actually work?
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) November 15, 2018
My prediction - badly.
But here are the basics. Each county election supervisor will assign workers to review each of the over and under votes. Some counties will assign 20 workers to the task, others could have as many as 50. 6/
The election worker will sit at a table. Joining the worker will be a representative for Bill Nelson, a representative for the Democratic Party, a representative for Rick Scott and a representative for the Republican Party. 7/ pic.twitter.com/GDH8fOhboD
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) November 15, 2018
If there is a disagreement over the voter's intent, then that ballot will be forwarded to the three-person election canvassing board for the county. The canvassing board will hear arguments from attorneys for both sides and then vote whether to count that ballot.
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) November 15, 2018
Got it? 8/ pic.twitter.com/HRZmgzWJ6T
So who thinks that this can all be done by the deadline for the hand recount on Sunday? @CBSMiami 9/9
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) November 15, 2018