Wisconsin election recounts and close races; here's what we know

MILWAUKEE - In the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor, David Crowley and Francesca Hong pulled ahead early and remained neck-and-neck – often within a percentage point of one another – as votes were tallied across the state Tuesday night.

"The next time somebody tells a reporter, 'Oh, my vote doesn't count,' I think we should talk about tonight. Tonight is an indication where every vote counts," political expert Mordecai Lee, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor emeritus, said Tuesday night with the race too close to call. 

Here are some key points to know about election recounts and how they work in Wisconsin.

What is a recount?

What we know:

A recount is when vote totals are re-tabulated to verify the accuracy of unofficial election results, according to Ballotpedia, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that curates political information. A recount typically happens in close races.

Are recounts automatic?

Local perspective:

There is no automatic recount in Wisconsin, according to the state's elections commission, even if the unofficial results are extremely close.

How does a recount work?

Dig deeper:

Any aggrieved candidate, typically the one who loses in the unofficial results, can petition for a recount of an election. That candidate must meet the deadline to file a verified petition and pay any applicable fee.

If the discrepancy between the unofficial winner and loser is not more than 0.25% of total votes cast, the petitioner is not required to pay a fee. If the discrepancy is greater, Lee said the cost to request a recount can exceed $1 million.

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