Four months after the photo finish in the California controller primary put a spotlight on the state’s unique recount rules, possible recounts loom in a handful of close legislative and congressional races on last week’s ballot. In Sacramento County’s 7th Congressional District, Rep. Ami Bera has cut the lead of Republican former Rep. Doug Ose to 530 votes, just 0.35 percent of the total counted so far, with thousands of late-arriving mail and provisional ballots still to process. Bera’s campaign has already launched a drive to raise money for a possible recount. The next official vote tally is expected Wednesday.
In the Central Valley’s 16th Congressional District, Republican Johnny Tacherra leads Democratic Rep. Jim Costa by 741 votes, 0.9 percent of the total counted so far. And then there’s the San Fernando Valley’s 39th Assembly District, where educational community representative Patty Lopez leads Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, a fellow Democrat, by just seven votes – 0.02 percent of the total cast.
Any recount would again trigger scrutiny of California recount laws that allow any state voter to request a recount in particular counties or precincts – as long as they pay for it. If the lead changes, another voter can request a recount in areas of their choosing, and so on until there are no more precincts to count.
Full Article: Tight races again put spotlight on California recount rules | The Sacramento Bee.