How results of Mecklenburg County’s closest 2023 elections could still change
Election Day may be over, but a handful of Mecklenburg County races are still close enough that results could change.
The process to make the results official will take more than a week.
In the closely watched rematch between Republican City Councilman Tariq Bokhari and Democratic challenger Stephanie Hand in south Charlotte’s District 6, Bokhari leads by 352 votes in unofficial results from the State Board of Elections. But Hand hasn’t conceded, telling reporters Tuesday night that her team is waiting on yet-to-be-counted provisional and absentee ballots and could request a recount.
It’s an even slimmer margin in Cornelius’s mayoral race, where incumbent Woody Washam Jr. leads by just 13 votes over his challenger Denis Bilodeau.
And in Pineville’s Town Council race, there’s a tie between two candidates. Amelia Stinson-Wesley claimed one of two spots as the top vote-getter of four candidates. But Eric Fransen and Danielle Moore are deadlocked for the second spot, with 624 votes each.
Here’s what to know about how outstanding provisional and absentee ballots could impact the county’s closest races and when election results will become official:
How many ballots are left to be counted in Mecklenburg’s closest races?
There are 362 provisional ballots to be examined and possibly counted in Mecklenburg County as of Wednesday, county Board of Elections spokeswoman Kristin Mavromatis said.
Provisional ballots, the State Board of Elections says, are ballots election officials set “aside as they conduct research about the voter’s eligibility.” Voters may be asked to fill out a provisional ballot for reasons such as questions about their address or voter registration or if they can’t provide photo ID.
The county board doesn’t know what precincts the outstanding provisional ballots are from, Mavromatis added, so it’s unknown whether any could impact the closest races.
In addition to provisional ballots, more than 2,000 absentee ballots sent out by the county board have not yet been returned, Mavromatis said. That includes 40 in Pineville, 400 in Charlotte City Council District 6 and 68 in Cornelius.
But, she cautioned, that doesn’t mean the board “will receive or be able to count” all of those ballots. Not everyone who requests an absentee ballot uses it to vote, and only “absentees received through Monday at 5 p.m. with a postmark of Election Day will be counted.”
What’s next for provisional and absentee ballots?
Yet-to-be-returned absentee ballots that meet eligibility criteria will be counted.
Provisional ballots are reviewed by county board of elections staff members, who research details of provisional applications and the voter’s eligibility, the State Board of Elections says. Election officials will notify voters “of any additional steps the voter must take to ensure their ballot counts” during the review process, and voters can check the status of their provisional ballot at vt.ncsbe.gov/RegProvPIN or by calling 919-814-0700 or 866-522-4723.
Once staff members complete reviews, results are presented to the county board, which makes the final decision on whether or not to count a provisional ballot.
The Mecklenburg Board of Elections’ meeting to make final decisions on provisional ballots is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Nov. 16.
Mecklenburg elections recount rules
Elections decided by a margin of 1% or less are eligible for a recount, Mavromatis said.
But, she added, recounts are not triggered automatically. A candidate would have to request one if their race fell within the threshold.
What happens if there’s a tie in an election?
If the count is tied after the county Board of Elections finalizes the vote tally in a race where 5,000 or fewer ballots were cast, the board “shall break the tie by a method of random selection,” state law says.
The statute says that if more than 5,000 ballots were cast in the tied race, “a new election in which only the candidates or positions tied will be on the official ballot” will be called.
More than 5,000 people voted in the Charlotte City Council District 6 race and in the Cornelius mayoral race. Fewer than 5,000 voted in the Pineville Town Council race.
When will 2023 election results be certified?
The county Board of Elections holds its canvass — the official process of determining that votes have been counted and tabulated correctly and certifying election results — 10 days after the election, Mavromatis said.
Mecklenburg County’s 2023 canvass is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 17 at the board’s office, 741 Kenilworth Ave. The process is open to the public.
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