An unprecedented statewide hand recount is under way in Florida – keeping tensions high in the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson and GOP challenger Gov. Rick Scott, the Miami Herald reported Thursday afternoon.
Following a five-day machine recount of the more than 8.3 million votes cast in the Nov. 6 elections, Secretary of State Ken Detzner ordered hand recounts in the Senate race as well as the state’s agriculture commissioner race between Democrat Nicole “Nikki” Fried and Republican Matt Caldwell, the Herald reported.
Thursday’s order had been expected for at least a week, the news outlet noted.
Florida law requires a machine recount for any race decided by one half of one percentage point or less, and the two races were within the margins when elections supervisors submitted their unofficial results Saturday to the state.
In the gubernatorial race between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum, DeSantis’ lead held Thursday as the counties reported their tallies, keeping him above the quarter-point threshold and making him Florida’s governor-elect barring a legal challenge from Gillum.
The margins in the Senate and agriculture commissioner races remained under the threshold, requiring hand recounts.
State law requires the state’s canvassing boards wrap it up by Sunday, so Florida’s elections canvassing commission can certify the results of the election by Tuesday, the Herald reported.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.