Despite some that were separated by as few as 25 votes, the only way some of Mobile County’s closer runoff races will see a recount is if the candidates pay for them out of their own pockets.
At the end of Tuesday’s primary runoff elections, races for a Mobile County Circuit judgeship and the House seat in District 102 appeared too close to call. In one of those, Brandy Hambright had just 125 votes on her opponent Harry Satterwhite in the Mobile County Circuit Judge’s race.
That margin of victory would be slim enough to generate an automatic, state-funded recount in a general election, but Mobile County Probate Judge Don Davis said Wednesday that Alabama law makes no mention of that same rule applying to primary contests or a runoff election.
“The law does not provide for a recount in a primary, only in a general election,” Davis said.
According to a statement from the Probate Court, a candidate or other interested party can still request a recount under certain circumstances but must also pay the expense associated with the recount. A recount request would also not be proper until the election results have been officially certified on Tuesday, July 24.
Brandy Hambright is the Republican nomination for the Place 6 judgeship on the Mobile County Circuit Court.
Based on the unofficial election results from the polls, Hambright is the winner of her race with Satterwhite.
Yet, just a hours ago, the campaign was still hesitant to claim victory over concerns of a possible recount.
“We are very proud of the campaign we ran and pleased with the results. At this point, we’re respectful of the process and we’ll let it play itself out before we claim a victory,” Hambright said. “In the meantime, we’re going to continue doing what we’ve been doing — being positive and hoping for a win.”
Likewise, Satterwhite campaign spokesperson Jon Gray told Lagniappe the numbers are too close to concede, though he has previously given the indication that an automatic recount could be on the table.
It’s unclear at this point if Satterwhite is interested in a self-funded recount, and Gray wasn’t available for a followup comment.
Hambright’s margin of victory is still slim enough for provisional ballots to feasibly flip the outcome of the race, but Gray said Satterwhite will continue to support the Republican party in victory or defeat. If Hambright is nominee facing Democrat Karlos Finley in the Nov. 6 general election, Gray said Satterwhite will be behind her.
“If Harry loses, he’ll be happy to support her,” Gray said.
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