Statewide Vote Recount Begins in Pennsylvania U.S. Senate Race - Erie News Now

A mandatory vote recount is underway here in Erie County and all across Pennsylvania.

When the counting is completed, the results should confirm the winner of the U.S. Senate race between republican Dave McCormick and incumbent democrat Bob Casey.

In the election office at the Erie County Courthouse, six ballot counting machines were humming all day Wednesday.

Four machines are recounting ballots cast in person at the polls. Two others are recounting mail ballots.

And as part of checks and balances the county swapped which machines are handling which ballots from how the counting was was done on election day.

Representatives for the republican and democratic parties and candidates are observing the process through the windows outside the election office.

In Erie County's unofficial vote totals, Bob Casey bested Dave McCormick by more than 2,200 votes.

While McCormick has held the lead statewide since election day although that lead has dwindled from nearly a 40,000 vote margin to more than 17,000.

With a strong voter turnout this election cycle, 75.69%, there are many votes to recount. Of 183,037 registered voters 138,542 cast ballots.

County Clerk of Elections Karen Chillcott said it will take a couple of days to complete the re-count. "We're hoping to have the scanning completed by Friday, right now we're about half way through for the election day ballots, we're not as far through with the mail ballots, because we only have two scanners dedicated to that. All of this is going to be due from the counties (to the state) on Tuesday at noon and then that will be certified by the state on Wednesday," Chillcott said.

The election office hopes to have the recount completed by Friday, so the numbers can be approved at a Monday meeting of the Erie County Election Board.