US House District 9: Will there be a recount? Osceola County set to submit election results for state to decide
The race to represent Congressional District 9 continues. It remains undecided days after polls closed, with election offices on a critical deadline to submit results to the state.
While Democratic incumbent Darren Soto has declared victory in the newly redrawn District 9, the results are still pending.
Soto faced off against Republican challenger Dan Green. As of Thursday, Soto led Green by just over 1,400 votes — a margin of 0.52%.
State law mandates a machine recount when two candidates are separated by 0.5% of votes or less. Thursday’s margin of 0.52% puts the race just outside that threshold — for now.
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On Thursday, Osceola County audited its results to ensure its count is accurate.
Today, canvassing boards around the state will meet to produce the first unofficial results of the midterm election, a process that is open to the public.
Lyntette Boswell was there as Osceola County’s board reviewed signatures and other outstanding issues with ballots.
“I thought they just count these ballots and that’s it. But just actually seeing that they do actually take their time with every step of the process,” she told News 6.
“Very fortunate to just be able to have the opportunity to be an observer.”
Once the ballots are sent in, state law will determine whether the state orders a recount for either race.
“By the end of the business day [Friday], we have to have that turned in to the state, and then the state will let us know,” Arrington said. “Right now it is outside of the threshold for a recount. But we are one of seven counties in that district, and so it could change.”
District 9 is one of four Democratic-held districts redrawn by state lawmakers. It now covers parts of Orange and Osceola counties, as well as Polk, Indian River, Okeechobee, Highlands and Glades counties.
“So right now, if nothing changes, no recount. So, it just all depends on all of those sort of outstanding ballots, which there are not many,” Arrington said. “These are all big ifs, and we can’t do anything till we do our due diligence till we get to that point,” she added.
News 6 reached out to both candidates on Friday for comment.
Darren Soto said in a statement, in part:
“We feel confident about victory at this point. A recount may not be required since our margin of victory stands at .52%, above the .5% threshold. There are an estimated several hundred ballots outstanding, mostly from Orange and Osceola County where we have strong support.”
Soto went on to say that if the margin changes to below the threshold, his team will follow the process of a machine recount.
We are still waiting to hear back from Dan Green.