North Carolina Gov. McCrory requests recount of contested state election
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s incumbent Republican governor, Pat McCrory, has formally requested a recount of votes in his close race with Democrat Roy Cooper.
Two weeks after Election Day and counts of provisional and absentee ballots, McCrory’s vote total continues to lag, but appears to be within the 10,000 vote range that allows for a recount.
In his letter to the State Board of Elections, McCrory wrote: “With serious concerns about potential voter fraud emerging across the state, it is becoming apparent that a thorough recount is one way the people of North Carolina can have confidence in the results, process and system.”
Republicans have challenged ballots cast by absentee votes who died before Election Day and by alleged felons in several dozen counties, but those questioned ballots add up to a few hundred, not the 8,000 or so votes by which McCrory trails.
Chuck Stuber, the Republican candidate for state auditor, is also requesting a recount in his contest with Democratic incumbent Beth Wood.
The State Board of Elections met Tuesday to settle on the advice it will give local county boards of election on handling protests.
Democrats are pressuring McCrory to concede, and Cooper this week announced a transition team.
Cooper campaign manger Trey Nix said a recount won’t change the outcome.
“This is nothing but a lastditch effort from Gov. McCrory to delay and deny the results of this election,” Nix said in a statement.