SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) — The recount process started Monday in the Silicon Valley congressional race that ended in a tie.
Three candidates are moving on to the general election unless the recount finds different results.
Recount procedures are underway at the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voter’s office.
Workers were pulling boxes Monday from the warehouse where ballots are stored, the ballots belonging to voters within Congressional District 16.
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The district is made up of Santa Clara County and San Mateo County.
Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo secured a spot on November’s ballot in the race, but second place is tied between Assemblyman Evan Low and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian.
Initially, two people requested a recount. The Santa Clara County Registrar’s Office confirmed that Dan Stegink, the person who requested the recount in San Mateo County withdrew his request.
That left Jonathan Padilla, who requested in Santa Clara County.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he was a policy and finance director for Liccardo’s 2014 San Jose Mayoral campaign.
He requested the recount on behalf of Low.
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Low’s campaign said they are not connected with him, insisting Padilla is acting on behalf of Liccardo’s campaign.
Liccardo’s team also has not claimed a current association with Padilla.
It’s not known how Padilla is financing the cost of the recount but the registrar’s office says he has by 10 each morning to pay the day’s deposit.
“A cost of approximately $16,000 a day,” said Steve Goltiao a spokesperson with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Office, “That’s an estimate based on counting the ballots only. If the requester would like to see additional materials, it would incur additional labor and time for us to pull those things which would increase the cost and the deadline as well.”
Despite questions from Low’s campaign about the law regarding recount refunds, Santa Clara County maintains that there is a possibility Padilla could be paid back.
“Let’s say if one of the candidates we find wins, and the requester is requesting the recount on behalf of that winning candidate,” Goltiao said, “Then the requester would then receive their money back.”
Santa Clara County estimates their process to take one to two weeks to finish.
San Mateo County confirmed that it also started its recount on Monday. They estimate it to be done a week from Wednesday.
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