[kingu]

Am I correct in my belief that either a machine recount or a hand recount can be requested by either party even if it is outside the stated margins, the only difference is that the candidate has to pay for it?

[TheConservator]

I can confirm that either party may request a machine recount if the difference is more than 2000, but they must put a deposit, and pay for, the cost of the recount.

I am not sure about a hand recount and will check.

[Robert357]

To answer all your recount questions check out the Q&A toward the bottom of this article
Click here for article

Q: But will that end the election?

A: Probably not. If the candidates are separated by fewer than 2,000 votes when the counties certify, state law requires the secretary of state to order a statewide machine recount of all the ballots. If the margin is 150 votes or fewer, a hand recount is required.

Q: When would that happen?

A: Secretary of State Sam Reed plans to order a recount immediately if the race is that close after today's certification. The counties would then have three business days -- until Monday -- to start counting.

Q: How long would a recount take?

A: Most counties can do it in a day. King County, the state's largest, likely would take four days. So a recount should end by Thanksgiving.

Q: And will that be it?

A: Not quite. The secretary of state must certify the winner of the election by Dec. 2. Once he does that, the loser can demand a recount, even if the margin is more than 2,000 votes.

Q: Again? Who pays for that?

A: The person demanding the recount has to post money to pay for it -- $420,000 for a machine recount or $700,000 for a hand recount. If the recount changes the winner, the taxpayer gets the tab.

Q: How long can this go on before there's a winner?

A: The loser is allowed to request only two recounts.

[vox_freedom]

I hope (please, please) that Murdocj and his smarter brother will do a new Excel spreadsheet that will calculate the counties' recounts as they come in to the Secretary of State's Office showing the differences to the actual certified votes tabulated today. This would clearly show the variances on each county vote and give us the news as it happens. I just heard Sam Reed saying the county votes would be posted as they arrive during the next week.

[jonrick46]

From the Washington Secretary of State's Q and A page:
Q: What are the requirements for a machine versus hand recount?

A machine recount will occur if the election results for the top two candidates are separated by more than 150 votes and less than 2,000 votes.

A manual recount will occur if the difference between the top two candidates is less than one-quarter of one percent and the two are separated by 150 votes or fewer.

State law authorizes the top two candidates to negotiate an alternative to a manual recount procedure if the race is separated by 150 votes or fewer.

I think they have to do the machine recount first. Then, they will have to pay to have second recount if they do not like the free one. In this case I heard $750,000--am I wrong? There will be no hand counts if the margin is over 150 votes.