The 47th District Senate race triggers recount with candidates separated by 65 votes

A mandatory recount is set to happen in the primary election in the 47th Legislative District of the Washington state Senate.

With the second and third place candidates separated by only 65 votes, ballots cast for Democrats Claudia Kauffman and Satwinder Kaur will undergo a recount, required by law with such a small margin of difference.

Kauffman was the former Democratic Senator of the 47th District from 2007 to 2011.

Kaur is a council member from the City of Kent.

In Washington state, a mandatory recount for elections happens automatically when a race is within a 0.5% margin; a machine recount is done to double-check the number. Stuart Holmes, the Acting Director of Elections in the Secretary of State’s Office, said that the machines are usually highly accurate and take a very short amount of time for officials to call the race.

If a race is within a 0.25% margin, the recount needs to be done by hand, with elections officials sorting ballots based on candidate votes, which could take days.

Will WA’s 3rd Congressional District race trigger a recount with primary results too close to call?

While both Democrats fight for second, Republican candidate Bill Boyce leads with 46% of the vote.

Beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 19, a recount will commence.

On Aug. 31 at 1 p.m., the King County Canvassing Board is expected to meet to certify the recount results.