The Lake County Supervisor of Elections Office has completed its machine recount in the Republican primary for U.S. House District 11 — and the race is almost exactly where it started.
The recount gave Joe Strada one additional vote and Carey Baker one additional vote, leaving the margin between the two candidates essentially unchanged. Lake County submitted its 2nd Unofficial Results to the Florida Division of Elections following the count.
“Our recount process went flawlessly, thanks to the entire team’s careful attention to detail,” said Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays. “I am grateful to every staff member and the Canvassing Board for their dedication throughout the election and recount process.”
What Triggered the Recount
Before the recount, districtwide unofficial results showed Strada leading Baker 27,389 to 26,996 — a difference of 393 votes, or a margin of approximately 0.48%.
Under Florida law, a machine recount is required when the margin of victory is one-half of 1% or less, unless the trailing candidate declines it in writing.
“The Florida Statutes, Chapter 102.141, tell us that if the margin of victory in any particular contest is one-half of 1% or less, then we must do a machine recount,” Hays said. “Unless the person with the fewest number of votes sends a letter to the Secretary of State saying, ‘Don’t bother to do the recount. I accept the results.’”
No such letter was sent, and the Florida Secretary of State ordered election offices across the district to recount the race.
How the Recount Works
In Lake County, workers processed nearly 28,000 Republican ballots through tabulation machines. Hays said the first step is separating the Republican ballots, then running them through the machines again to retabulate the District 11 votes.
The machine recount may not be the final step. If the new districtwide margin is 0.25% or less, election workers must conduct a hand recount of overvotes and undervotes.
Hays explained that an overvote occurs when a voter marks more candidates than allowed, while an undervote occurs when no candidate is marked at all.
“These machines are so sensitive that they will pick up just a little pin drop of ink on that oval,” Hays said, adding that a canvassing board can review those ballots to determine voter intent.
What Happens Next
The Lake County Canvassing Board meets Wednesday, August 26 at 10 a.m. to certify the official results and submit them to the Division of Elections.
The winner of the Republican primary will advance to the November general election. The seat is currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, who first entered Congress in 2011 and has represented District 11 since 2017. Webster is retiring at the end of his current term.
Voters with questions can contact the Lake County Supervisor of Elections Office at 352-343-9734.