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Broward Files Election Results; Recounts In Seven Races To Start Sunday Morning

 

UPDATED  Nov. 11 at 4:15 p.m.

At 11:49 a.m. on Saturday, the Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office submitted its unofficial election results to the Forida Secretary of State's office. The deadline was noon. 

"Except for the overseas ballots, everything has been [brought in]," said Brenda Snipes, the supervisor of elections. "I believe we have all of the ballots accounted for. We have processed ballots for over 700,000 voters since Tuesday, so that is quite a feat." 

But Broward didn't submit 100 percent of its results to the state. 

The office submitted 99.997 percent. There were approximately 25 pages of ballots left for the board to review after the noon deadline.  

The board, which is headed by two county judges, had to review those pages to determine what the voter's intent was, if bubbles had check marks, lines, or X's instead of being filled in completely. 

Attorneys for several campaigns, including Gov. Rick Scott, Sen. Bill Nelson, and Agriculture Commissioner candidate Matt Caldwell, argue that anything reviewed after the noon deadline should not count - and they have filed an official objection to the canvassing board, with the threat of a future lawsuit.

Immediately after election results were sent to the state, Broward's canvassing board ordered recounts for four local races. 

  • Mayor of Plantation
  • Mayor of Pompano Beach
  • West Park City Commission Seat 1
  • Walnut Creek (near Pembroke Pines) Community Development District Seat 3

Those recounts were expected to start at 7 a.m. Sunday, after the counting machines are tested for several hours Saturday. Machine testing was delayed until 7 a.m. Sunday morning. Recounts are expected to start immediatley after that - around 7:45 or 8 a.m.
Secretary of State Ken Detzner has already requested machine recounts in three statewide races: Governor, Agriculture Commissioner, and U.S. Senate.

Broward officials will also start those recounts at the same time the recounts for local races begins, after 7:45 a.m. Sunday. 

Read More: Judge Orders Brenda Snipes To Grant 'Immediate Access' To Records After Gov. Scott Sues

The attorney representing Snipes, Eugene Pettis, confirmed for reporters Saturday that all requested information was given to Scott's attorneys. Scott threatened Snipes with a lawsuit on Thursday night, for what he alleges is "rampant fraud." 

A judge then ruled midday on Friday that Snipes' office was required to give Scott the requested information. 

"They received data but did not understand how to read the data," Pettis said. "We sat down this morning, and explained the data to them...I've not received any additional requests as of this moment."

Pettis said Snipes has authorized the release of any additional information requested by Scott, for the sake of transparency.

"Dr. Snipes has give me one instruction, and that's to tell them whatever they have if we have the data. In areas in which we did not have the data, we compiled information to provide to them," he said. "It's very important that we listen to facts and not fiction."

Caitie Muñoz, formerly Switalski, leads the WLRN Newsroom as Director of Daily News & Original Live Programming. Previously she reported on news and stories concerning quality of life in Broward County and its municipalities for WLRN News.
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