Recall is the power of the voters to remove elected officials before their terms expire. It has been a fundamental part of our governmental system since 1911 and has been used by voters to express their dissatisfaction with their elected representatives. 

For the procedures to initiate a recall effort, please view the Procedures for Recalling State and Local Officials provided by the Secretary of State.

View a flowchart of the Recall Process for Local Officers.

Any voter may, pursuant to Elections Code sections 15620, 15621 or 15623, request a recount.

Upon receipt of a request for recount, the elections official shall verify that the person requesting the recount is registered to vote in this state.

Any time during the conduct of a recount and for 24 hours thereafter, any voter other than the original requestor may, pursuant to Elections Code sections 15620, 15621 or 15623, request the recount of any precincts not recounted as a result of the original recount request.

For more information, please review our complete Recount Procedures for Local Elections guide.

A recount is the actual retabulation of voted ballots to confirm the certified election results. The elections official conducts a recount to verify the number of votes counted for any office or measure in an election. The San Benito County Registrar of Voters (ROV) recounts voted ballots manually or by machine.

You can find laws about voter requested recounts in the California Elections Code (EC), starting with section 15620.

WHO CAN REQUEST A RECOUNT?  §15620

You can request a recount if you are a California registered voter.

WHEN CAN I REQUEST A RECOUNT?  §§15, 15620

You must file a request for a recount within five (5) calendar days after the completion of the official canvass.

The official canvass is complete when the ROV certifies the election results.

If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the next business day.

Exception:  For statewide contests, file the request within five (5) calendar days beginning on the 29th day after the election.

WHAT FORMAT CAN I USE TO REQUEST A RECOUNT? §§15620, 15621, 15622, 15627, 15630

We do not have an official recount request form. Your request for a recount must:

• be in writing;
• tell us which contest you want recounted; and
• tell us which candidate, slate of electors, or measure position (affirmative or negative) your request is about. 

You can also provide the below information, but it is not required:

• the order you want the precincts counted;
• the method you want to use to count (computer, manual, or both);
• any other related material you want examined; or
• the county where you want the recount done if a statewide contest.

WHERE DO I FILE A REQUEST FOR A RECOUNT? §§15620, 15621

File your request with the following office if the contest is a:

• County Only: The ROV responsible for conducting the election;
• Multiple Counties: The ROV of any of the affected counties;
• City Only Elections: With the City Clerk; or
• Statewide: Secretary of State (SOS).

NOTICE OF RECOUNT  §15628

The ROV posts the date and place of the recount at least one day prior to the recount.

The ROV notifies the following persons by overnight mail:

• Candidates for the recounted office;
• Proponents of initiatives or referendums;
• Persons filing arguments for measures; and
• SOS if the candidate is for state or federal office, delegates, or state measure.

WHEN DOES THE RECOUNT START?  §15626

The ROV starts the recount no later than seven (7) calendar days following the receipt of the request.

The  recount  continues  every  day  (except  on  Saturdays,  Sundays,  and holidays) for at least six hours a day until completed.

PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS & COSTS §15625

The ROV supervises and appoints the two four-person recount board(s) and one board supervisor (“Supervisor”) for each.

The party requesting the recount pays the actual costs. These costs may include supervision, security guards, personnel, and administrative costs.

RECOUNT RESULTS  §§15632, 15633

Results will be released once the recount has been completed.

The ROV counts every vote or the results are invalid.

The results of the official canvass will change if the issue up for recount receives a plurality of votes. If this happens, the ROV re-certifies and posts the election results.

The ROV will not release results or running tallies during the recount. Observers may keep their own notes; however, that information is not official.

COSTS AND PAYMENT §15624

When you submit your request for a recount, the Department of Elections (“Department”) will determine the amount of deposit necessary to cover costs of the recount for each day.

The first day is usually the most expensive day because of the preparation and planning. At the end of each day, the Department will present the next day’s cost estimate to you. You must put this amount on deposit with our office no later than 9:00 am in order for the day’s recount activities to proceed.

Payment is recommended by 4:30 pm the day before, but no later than the start of recount activities.  Failure to pay by 9:00 am will result in the recount being cancelled and not being continued.

The ROV accepts cash, check, and money orders. Credit cards are not accepted.

EXAMPLES OF COSTS

 Labor and Preparation Costs

• Election Official and Election Staff
  • Organizing, planning, meetings
  • Preparing notifications; publications
  • Meeting with interested parties
  • Setting policy for media; examining materials; discussions
  • Seeking, investigating, and evaluating legal issues and advice
  • Identifying, gathering, reviewing, preparing materials
  • Conducting review, research of relevant materials with observers
  • Setting up facility and tearing down after completion of recount
  • Recruiting and training recount boards
  • Preparing information for interested parties
  • Supervising recount boards during recount
  • Overall recount management and crowd management
  • Resolving challenges
  • Documentation and correspondence
  • Accounting and calculating cost of recount
  • Securing election materials
  • Machine recount costs including conducting logic and accuracy tests, securing computer and card reader operators, and overall computer system management
• County Counsel for challenges and advice
• County overhead and recount board salaries
• Security personnel other than county staff
• Facilities rental, if ROV cannot accommodate the activity
• Materials purchased and consumed
• Office Services Provided
  • Computer time
  • Telegram, fax charges, telephone, publication
  • Copy charges, postage

COUNTING

Counting continues until:

• there are no more votes left to count;
• the requester calls a halt to the recount; or
• the requester fails to deposit the required amount by 9:00 or the scheduled start of recount activities for the day.

We return the deposit if the results of the recount are reversed.

AUTOMATIC MANUAL TALLY §15360

The Department counts a random sample of ballots from every election to verify the voting system used by the department.

The Department includes a minimum of votes cast in one percent (1%) of the precincts.

This manual tally is completed before the election is certified. It is open to the public