GOP and Dems ready for recounts in Colorado

It’s Election Day, but that doesn’t mean every race will be decided before Wednesday morning.

With a number of key races polling near even — including the U.S. Senate contest between Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet and Republican challenger Ken Buck — rules governing close elections could trigger mandatory recounts.

Any race whose top two finishers are separated by less than one-half of 1 percent automatically gets a recount, according to Richard Coolidge, spokesman for the Colorado Secretary of State’s office.

In races outside of that margin, candidates can ask for a recount, but they must pay for the recount process within 24 hours of the election. In statewide races, such as U.S. Senate, governor and ballot questions, that cost could be as high as $2 million, Coolidge said.

The same rules apply to down-the-ticket races, but recounts of those votes are not as costly because they involve fewer ballots.     – More -