The House Government and Elections Committee passed a measure that would raise the margins that spark election recounts.
Under current law, the threshold sparking a recount is one-tenth of one percent. The measure proposed by Republican Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita raises the margin for primary and general elections to one-half of a percent.
The proposal gained the support of Democrats, who have blocked many election reform bills introduced.
Democratic Rep. Lorenzo Sierra explains his support.
“I’d like to believe that we can implement this and that would put an end to audit, upon audit, upon audit and everything else. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. I still support it, so I vote aye," Sierra said.
The bill excludes elections for school district governing boards, fire district boards and other special districts. The measure now goes to the House Rules Committee.
