State Summary

Recounts are required if the margin is less than 2,000 votes and less than 0.5% of the total votes cast for candidates or ballot measures. Within three business days of certification, the secretary of state directs boards to conduct a recount. Candidates or voters requesting a recount must file an application within two business days after the declaration of the official results. Each canvassing board sets the date, time, and place for its county’s recount. Although there are no deadlines, the secretary of state may require that amended abstracts be certified by each canvassing board on a uniform date. Depending on the margin between winning and losing candidates, the recount is done by tabulation or hand count.

Counting Method

Mix of hand count and retabulation
Counting method chosen by initiator

For optional candidate and voter-initiated recounts, the applicants have a choice of counting method and the application for a recount "must specify whether the recount will be done manually or by the vote tally system." Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.011.

For mandatory recounts initiated by close-vote-margins, the recount is a retablulation of the ballots. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.04.139. If the vote margin is small enough, a hand recount is required. See Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.04.021. However, the winning candidate and the next leading candidate may jointly choose to request an alternative method of conducting the recount. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.021(3). According to the Office of the Washington Secretary of State, when a hand count is not required in a close-vote-margin recount, the county auditors may, at their discretion, choose to conduct a hand count.

See Wash. Admin. Code § 434-264 for additional details on counting methods for recounts.

Initiating Mechanisms

Close vote margin
Candidate-initiated
Voter-initiated
Election official-initiated

The county canvassing board may recanvass the ballots when it finds that there is an apparent discrepancy or inconsistency in the return, or that election staff has made an error regarding the treatment or disposition of a ballot. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.210. Any recanvass activity must take place on or before the last day to certify. Id. Recanvasses may only be initiated by election officials. Note that “recounts” take place after certification. See Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.011; Wash. Admin. Code § 434-262-050.

Close Vote Margin Options

Less than or equal to 0.5%
Vote count difference (not percentage-based)
Initiated automatically

The close vote margin leading to mandatory recount in Washington has two components. First, for all offices, in both general and primary elections, a recount is required if the margin is less than 2,000 votes and less than 0.5% of the total votes cast for the candidates. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.021(1). The second component determines the counting method used for the recount. For statewide offices, if the difference between the votes cast for the winning candidate and the next leading candidate is less than 1,000 votes and less than 0.25% of the total votes cast, the recount must be conducted by hand; for all other offices, a hand recount is required if the difference is less than 150 votes and less than 0.25%. Id. If the vote margin is larger, the votes are retabulated. However, the winning candidate and the next leading candidate may jointly choose to request an alternative method of conducting the recount. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.021(3); see also Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.04.139. Note that the county auditor may, at their option, choose to do a hand count. See "Counting Method" section above.

Statewide measures are automatically recounted when the margin is less than 2,000 votes and less than 0.5% of the total number cast for the measure. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.090. According to the Washington Secretary of State, recounts for statewide measures follow the same manual count rules applied to recounts for offices.

There are no mandatory recounts for state advisory votes or local measures. There are also no recounts for close vote totals between the first and second candidates in a primary election. Washington Secretary of State, Recount FAQ.

Within three business days of the day that the returns of the election are first certified by the canvassing boards of those counties, the secretary of state must direct those boards to recount all votes cast in the contest. § 29A.64.021(1)(a). At least one day before the recount, the county auditor must notify the applicant or affected parties and any other person for whom votes were cast for that office of the date, time, and place of the recount. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.030.

Candidate-Initiated Options

Candidate determines how many/which precincts to recount
Party official may also petition for candidate

Candidates or officers of political parties may request a recount of the votes or a portion of the votes cast for their office in a general or primary election. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.011. If the request is to recount only a portion of the votes, and if this partial recount changes the outcome of the election, then a complete recount of all the votes must be completed. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.050.

An application for a recount must be filed within two business days after the county canvassing board or secretary of state has declared the official results of the election for which the recount is requested. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.011. At least one day before the recount, the county auditor must notify the applicant or affected parties and any other person for whom votes were cast for that office of the date, time, and place of the recount. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.030.

Voter-Initiated Options

Voters determine how many/which precincts to recount
Voters may request recounts for initiatives/questions

Any group of five or more registered voters may request a recount for all votes or a portion of the votes cast for a question or issue. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.011. If the request is to count a portion of the votes and if this partial recount changes the outcome of the election, then a complete recount of all the votes must be conducted. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.050.

An application for a recount must be filed within two business days after the county canvassing board or secretary of state has declared the official results of the primary or election for the issue for which the recount is requested. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.011. At least one day before the recount, the county auditor must notify the applicant or affected parties of the date, time, and place of the recount. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.030.

Each canvassing board sets the date, time, and place for the recount to take place in its county. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.003. After a recount is complete, the canvassing board prepares and certifies an amended abstract, copies of which must be sent to the same officers who received the abstract on which the recount was based. If the recount was conducted for a contest originally filed with the county auditor, the canvassing board files the amended abstract with the original results of that election or primary. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.061(2). If the office or issue for which a recount was conducted was filed with the secretary of state, the secretary of state canvasses the amended abstracts and files an amended abstract with the original results of that election. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.061(3). Although there are no deadlines, the secretary of state may require that the amended abstracts be certified by each canvassing board on a uniform date. See Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.061.

Cost for Candidate-Initiated Recounts

Paid entirely by initiator
Payor of costs depends on outcome

The initiator is liable for the entire cost of the recount. If the recount changes the outcome of the election there are not costs to the initiator. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.081. The amount of the deposit depends on the counting method used. The deposit is 25 cents per ballot cast for hand recounts or 15 cents per ballot cast for retabulations. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.030.

Cost for Voter-Initiated Recounts

Paid entirely by initiator
Payor of costs depends on outcome

The initiators are liable for the entire cost of the recount. If the recount changes the outcome of the election, there are no costs to the initiators. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.081. The amount of the deposit depends on the counting method used. The deposit is 25 cents per ballot cast for hand recounts or 15 cents per ballot cast for retabulations. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.030.

Challengers and Observers

Party/candidate/initiator may appoint observers; no guidance on challengers; recount is public

The proceedings of the canvassing board during a recount are public, and, subject to guidelines “all interested persons may attend and witness a recount.” Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.030; see also Wash. Admin. Code § 434-264-30. Representatives of candidates or those representing both sides of an issue that is being recounted may observe the recount. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.041(3). Each person entitled to receive notice of a recount may attend, witness the recount, and be accompanied by counsel. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.030. County canvassing boards are encouraged to request additional observers from each of the two major political parties, space permitting. Wash. Admin. Code § 434-264-030(2). The secretary of state or county auditor may limit the number of observers on each side if a more observers would cause undue delay or disruption of the recount process. Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.041.

Rules for Determining Voter Intent

Instructions for determining voter intent are provided in Wash. Admin. Code 434-261-086. Additional guidance on write-in votes is provided in Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.040. See also Office of the Washington Secretary of State, Voter Intent-Statewide Standards on What is a Vote (2018).

Resources

Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.64.011
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.021
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.030
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.040
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.050
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.041
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.081
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.090
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.24.070
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.04.139
Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.210

Wash. Admin. Code § 434-264-30
Wash. Admin. Code § 434-262-050
Wash. Admin. Code § 434-261-086

Additional Resources

Washington Secretary of State, Recount FAQ
Office of the Washington Secretary of State, Voter Intent-Statewide Standards on What is a Vote (2018)