A judge has extended Palm Beach County's deadline for a recount in several races for several days.
The order from the Second Judicial County came after the county's top elections official said it was impossible for the county to meet the 3 p.m. Thursday deadline.
Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher told CBS Miami on Tuesday that outdated equipment is slowing down the recount process.
Jim Bonfiglio, a Democratic U.S. House candidate, asked for the deadline to be extended in the county until Nov. 20. Bonfiglio trails Republican Mike Caruso by only 37 votes, falling within the 0.25 percent margin that mandates a state-ordered machine and hand recount.
"Florida's election laws are compartmentalized and are somewhat inconsistent. The statues do not seem to contemplate a situation, such as here, where close results trigger the need for multiple recounts," Circuit Judge Karen Gievers wrote in her order.
Palm Beach County's voting equipment can't recount multiple races at the same time, reports the Palm Beach Post, making it the lone county in the state in using the particular type of equipment.
On Tuesday, a judge suspended the deadlines for recounts in the governor and agriculture commissioner race, as well as the House race between Bonfiglio and Caruso.
The deadline for the Senate race between incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott remains Thursday.
The order said based on the three to four days it’s taken to recount U.S. Senate race, it’s expected to take the same amount of time to count each of the remaining races.
“Even using an extra day for the recounts regarding the governor’s and agriculture commissioner’s contests, it appears clear that Supervisor Bucher and the canvassing board can conclude their recounts and certifications, and the Secretary can conclude his reviews and determinations no later than November 27, 2018, a date still earlier than the November 30 deadline for any election litigation contest,” the order reads, in part.
A status hearing on the progress of counting in Palm Beach County has been set for Monday morning.
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