Looks like a recount is a go in the Congressional District 16 race! They've got the funds and are revving up to break a historic tie for second place. How crazy is that?
The race to replace U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo has been a nail-biter, with Assemblymember Evan Low and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian ending in a dead heat for second place behind former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. This could be the first time a congressional race in California heads to a November ballot with a tie like this, ever since the state switched to a top-two open primary system in 2012.
The recount request came from two individuals, one being former San Mateo County Supervisor candidate Dan Stegink and the other 2020 Biden delegate and former Liccardo mayoral campaign staffer Jonathan Padilla. They put down the cash for a recount, with Padilla's attorney coughing up a $12,000 deposit to get things rolling.
Originally, Padilla wanted a manual recount, but with over 182,000 ballots to go through, that would've cost a fortune—somewhere upwards of $400,000. So, they switched gears to a machine recount, which kicks off Monday. The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters mentioned that more payments will be needed on a "day-to-day basis," and the final bill could exceed the initial $84,200 estimate, especially if Padilla and his team want additional materials looked at.
Low's camp, on the other hand, fired off a letter to San Mateo County's chief elections officer, questioning whether funds would be refunded if the results change. They're arguing that a refund shouldn't be an option, considering both tied candidates are already moving forward to the general election.
This recount saga is getting more intense by the day! Let's see how it all pans out.
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