Statewide Recount Possible Due To NC Supreme Court Nail Biter

NORTH CAROLINA — Nearly two weeks after ballots were cast in North Carolina, election officials across the state were preparing for a possible statewide recount due to the neck-and-neck race for North Carolina Supreme Court.

At one point in recent days, the race between Democrat incumbent Justice Cheri Beasley and her Republican challenger Justice Paul Newby was down to a margin of just five votes. By Tuesday morning, however, the margin was slightly larger, in Newby's favor, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Newby had 2,695,902 votes — 367 more votes than Beasley.

A recount may be requested by the runner-up for statewide contests when the vote difference is 10,000 or fewer votes.

Should a recount be requested, it will occur between Nov. 19 and Nov. 25, and will be done by machine, Iredell County Board of Elections director Becky Galliher told Patch.

As of Nov. 15, 10 counties in the state were still completing their final canvassing of 2020 election results, according to NCSBE.

"The canvass process exists to ensure votes are counted accurately," Karen Brinson Bell, NCSBE executive director, said in a statement. "This is the process working as it is supposed to work. This election will not be certified until we are certain the results are accurate."

As of Monday, Craven, Duplin, New Hanover, Robeson, Rockingham, Sampson, Washington, Durham and Stanly counties were to complete their final canvasses, NCSBE said.

According to NCSBE, the deadline for making the statewide recount request is noon, Nov. 17. "Counties would re-run every ballot through a tabulator and the results of the recount would be compared to the results of the original count," it said.

The results from North Carolina's 2020 election are scheduled to be certified during the state canvass on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 11 a.m.