The Pennsylvania Senate race is headed for a recount amid controversy after Republican Dave McCormick’s apparent victory over Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey. Despite The Associated Press calling the race for Mr. McCormick on Nov. 7, Mr. Casey has not conceded, with Mr. McCormick leading by less than 20,000 votes with 99% of votes counted.

Under Pennsylvania law, the narrow margin (less than 0.5%) automatically triggers a recount, which must begin by Wednesday and conclude by November 26. The situation has become more complex due to disputes over mail-in ballots with missing or incorrect dates on return envelopes.

The state Supreme Court ruled in September that election officials should not count misdated ballots. However, several counties, including Bucks, Centre, and Montgomery, have voted to count these contested ballots anyway. This decision has prompted litigation from Republicans and criticism from various quarters, including the Pennsylvania Republican Party Chair Lawrence Tabas, who called it “absolute lawlessness.”

Secretary of State Al Schmidt has urged vote counters to be cautious and consult legal counsel, recommending the segregation of undated and incorrectly dated ballots throughout the process. The McCormick campaign has separately sued Bucks County over 405 ballots with wrong dates or no dates.

The Washington Post editorial board has criticized Pennsylvania Democrats for their decision to count these contested ballots, arguing that it undermines democracy and could set a dangerous precedent for future elections.

Read more: Pennsylvania Senate race sparks litigation, criticism

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