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    Could Eric Hovde request a recount in Wisconsin Senate race?
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    Could Eric Hovde request a recount in Wisconsin Senate race?

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    Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin has declared victory over Republican challenger Eric Hovde, but the vote margin appears narrow enough that Hovde could request a recount.

    The Associated Press has not yet decided the race and Hovde has not conceded a goal. As of 8:15 a.m. Tuesday morning, with about 99% of the votes reported, Baldwin had 49.4% of the vote, compared to 48.5% for Hovde.

    Hovde had not yet called for a recount as of Wednesday morning. In a post on social media, Hovde said he was monitoring the final district results and would “continue to monitor the results and ensure every vote is counted.”

    Here's a look at how the recount process works in Wisconsin.

    What margin is required for a recount in Wisconsin?

    In an election with more than 4,000 votes – which applies to the race for Baldwin and Hovde – the final candidate can request a recount if the gap between the candidates is no more than one percent of the total votes cast.

    According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission's handbook for a recount, there is no automatic recount in Wisconsin, even if the unofficial results are very close.

    Does a candidate have to pay for a recount in Wisconsin?

    If the margin between the two candidates is 0.25% or less, the state will cover the cost of the recount. If the margin is over 0.25%, the campaign must pay for the recount.

    So under the current margin, Hovde would have to pay for the vote.

    The Wisconsin Elections Commission estimates the costs of the recount, such as personnel and travel costs and equipment rental fees, to likely total several million dollars.

    Would the 2024 election recount take place nationwide?

    That is not yet clear. The requesting candidate can indicate that they want the entire election to be recounted or just certain communities. Unlike local or state legislative elections, U.S. Senators are elected statewide.

    For example, the 2020 presidential recount in Wisconsin was a partial recount of results in Dane and Milwaukee counties.

    If the trailing candidate requests a partial recount, the leading candidate can expand the recount to additional districts or municipalities.

    What happened in the 2020 presidential recount in Wisconsin?

    After the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump requested a recount in some Wisconsin counties and Georgia. The Wisconsin Election Commission ordered a partial recount of results in Dane and Milwaukee counties after receiving a $3 million payment from the Trump campaign.

    The recount was completed on November 29, 2020 and the Chairman of the Wisconsin Election Commissions signed the Declaration of Election and Recount on November 30.

    On January 14, 2021, the WEC awarded the Trump campaign a refund of approximately $545,000, which was less than the estimated $3 million cost of the recount.

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