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November 06, 2024

Could the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania result in a recount?

Republican Dave McCormick's lead over Democrat Bob Casey is within the 0.5% margin that would trigger another tally.

2024 Election Senate
Pennsylvania Senate recount William Thomas Cain/For the Bucks County Courier Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The narrow margins in the U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania could trigger an automatic recount, as outlined in state law.

The last votes are being tallied in the U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania, which has remained too close to call. But if the narrow margins hold, ballot counters may have to start from square one.


LATEST: Dave McCormick wins U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania, but a recount is likely


Democratic incumbent Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick have been locked in a tight race since polls closed Tuesday night. McCormick has the lead with 49% of the vote as of 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, but Casey follows right behind with 48.5%. Those totals come with 98% of the vote counted.

An automatic recount is triggered in Pennsylvania if any candidate that appeared on the ballot in each state election district loses by 0.5% or less. Al Schmidt, the secretary of the commonwealth, must order a recount by 5 p.m. of the second Thursday following the election — in this case, Nov. 14 — per state law.

The results are then due by noon on the Tuesday after the third Wednesday following the election. That would be Nov. 26.


U.S. Senate in Pa.: Bob Casey vs. Dave McCormick

If the table below is not displaying correctly, you can view the election results here.


Candidates affected by the recount may observe the process, in person or through an attorney. The defeated candidate may also halt the recount by written request, if he or she does not wish to proceed with a second tally.

According to the latest numbers, that prerogative would fall to Casey. His campaign did not immediately clarify if the senator would support or refuse a recount, but said it was "confident that at the end of that process, Senator Casey will be re-elected."

"The count in Pennsylvania is still continuing," Maddy McDaniel, a spokesperson for the senator's campaign, said Thursday. "Yesterday, the vote margin shrunk by 50,000 votes and this race is now within half a point, the threshold for automatic recounts in Pennsylvania. With tens of thousands more votes to be counted, we are committed to ensuring every Pennsylvanian's vote is heard."

In 2022, McCormick was in a tight race against Dr. Mehmet Oz in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, with Oz winning by less that 1,000 votes. But instead of having a recount, McCormick decided to concede to Oz, who eventually lost to Democratic Sen. John Fetterman. 

This story has been updated with a statement from Casey's campaign.


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