RALEIGH, N.C. (NCN News) – State Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger is asking for a recount in a razor-thin losing margin to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page in the District 26. Republican Primary.
The current margin is 23 votes. The margin is less than 1.0% of the total votes cast in this race.
In a letter to the State Board of Elections, Berger contends that based on a review of available records of the SD26 race, there are I overvote and 134 undervotes in Rockingham County and 2 overvotes and 83 undervotes in Guilford County, which total more than the 23-vote margin in the Senate District 26 race. These overvotes and undervotes could very likely determine the outcome of this race.
He asked that during the initial recount, any ballot that a machine identifies as having an overvote or an undervote be counted by hand by a bipartisan team of four to determine voter choice
Page released a statement: “We won this election because the voters of Guilford and Rockingham counties made their decision clear. Phil Berger has the right to request a recount, and I’m confident it will confirm the outcome. We won.”
While Berger asked for recount Tuesday morning (March 17), there is still a possibility that his campaign could file a written protest if he wishes to make allegations of irregularities or violations of election law — a process that could lead to ballots being thrown out or lead to another election.
In recent memory, the only time there has been a “do-over” election was in the case of the 2018 Ninth District Congressional race amid charges of ballot harvesting of absentee votes.