SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Spokane County election workers are continuing to count ballots, and the process is expected to take several more days. More mail-in ballots are expected to arrive over the next few days, bringing estimated voter turnout to about 60% to 65%.
About 140 people are involved in the work, which includes sorting, opening and double-checking ballots. The county expects counting to continue through Friday. Results will not be finalized until Nov. 24.
“Every step has to be done. There’s no shortcuts,” Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton said. “And that’s another reason why it does take time, because if you try to rush it, if you try to shortcut anything, that’s when mistakes happen. So we are very methodical, very consistent and very precise.”
Several races and ballot measures remain close. Under state law, an automatic recount is required when the candidates are separated by less than half a percentage point and fewer than 2,000 votes. Levies and initiatives are not subject to automatic recounts.
A recount may still be requested in any of the races or ballot measures, but the person requesting it would have to pay for the cost, which could reach tens of thousands of dollars.
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