Recount laws in Missouri
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Anelection recount is a process by which votes cast in an election are re-tabulated to verify the accuracy of the original results. Recounts typically occur in the event of a close margin of victory, following accusations of election fraud, or due to the possibility of administrative errors. Recounts can either occur automatically or be requested by a candidate or voters.
Missouri law does not provide for automatic recounts. Any defeated candidate and any person, regarding a ballot measure, can request a recount, provided certain conditions are met. A court may order a recount as part of an election contest and election officials may request a recount in certain situations.
Summary of recount laws
The list below shows answers to common questions regarding recounts in Missouri.[1]
- Does state law require automatic recounts?
- No.
- When must an automatic recount be completed?
- There are no automatic recounts in this state.
- Can a recount be requested?
- Yes, the recount can be requested within seven days of results certification. The margin required for offices filed with the secretary of state is 0.5% of votes cast for the office. For offices filed with local election authorities, the margin required is 1% of votes cast for the office. The deadline for completion is within 20 days of the notice of recount.
- Who pays for a requested recount?
- The requester.
- Is a refund available for requested recount costs?
- Maybe. If a recount occurs as part of a contested election, a requester may be required to cover costs before the start of such an event. The court may choose to require the unsuccessful party in a contested election to cover the costs, which could involve a refund to the requester if he or she is the successful party.
- Can a partial recount be requested?
- No.
Missouri recount procedures
Automatic recount procedures
Missouri does not require automatic recounts.
Requested recount procedures
Missouri allows defeated candidates and any person, regarding a ballot measure, to request a recount. For candidates and ballot questions filed with local election officials, a recount may be requested if the margin separating the two candidates or positions is less than 1%. For candidates and ballot questions filed with the secretary of state, a recount may be requested if the margin separating the two candidates or positions is less than .5%. For candidates and ballot questions filed with the secretary of state, the deadline for the request is no later than seven days after the certification of the election. The deadline to complete such a recount is no later than 20 days after the notice of the recount.[1]
A court may order a recount as part of a contested election initiated by a candidate or, in the case of a ballot measure election, a person under the following circumstances:
| “ | If the court finds there is a prima facie showing of irregularities which place the result of the primary election in doubt, the court shall order a recount of all votes brought in question by the petition or its answer. Where the issue is drawn over the validity of certain votes cast, a prima facie case is made if the validity of a number of votes equal to or greater than the margin of defeat is placed in doubt. The court may order a recount of all votes brought in question by the petition or its answer at any time if it finds that the primary election result is placed in doubt. All materials and records relating to the contested election may be subpoenaed and all information contained therein shall be subject to the rules of discovery in civil cases. During a recount, the court may hear additional evidence offered by any party bearing on any issue relating to the contested election.[2] | ” |
| —MO Rev Stat § 115.539 (2024) | ||
Election officials may also request a recount under the following circumstances:
| “ | The election authority, if convinced that errors of omission or commission have occurred on the part of the election authority, election judges, or any election personnel in the conduct of an election, may petition the circuit court for a recount ...[2] | ” |
| —MRS 115.600 | ||
For more information about recount procedures in Missouri,click here.
Missouri voting equipment
Missouri uses hand-marked paper ballots, ballot-marking devices, and direct recording electronic systems for its elections. The state requires a voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) when conducting elections. According to theElection Assistance Commission, in a VVPAT system, "the voter can directly compare the electronic summary screen of the voting machine with the printed paper audit record" to verify their vote is counted correctly.[3][4]
50-state overview of recount laws
The table below summarizes where state laws allow for automatic and requested recounts. Click "show" to view the table.
As of September 2025, state law in 48 states included a recount provision, automatic recounts are possible in 28 states, and requested recounts are possible in 43 states.
The map and table below outline the type of recount laws in each state.
50-state overview of requested recounts
The table below summarizes how requested recounts are paid for and whether it is possible for candidates to request a partial recount. Click "show" to view the table.
As of September 2025, the requester of a recount pays for the recount in 23 states, the state pays in seven states, in 11 states it depends on the circumstances of the election or the recount, and in two states it is unclear which party pays for the recount. In 27 states a refund may be available for a requested recount, in four states a refund depends on the circumstances of the recount, and in five states no refund is available. The remaining 14 states have state-funded requested recounts or do not have requested recounts. In 27 states a partial recount may be requested.
| State[7] | Who pays for a requested recount? | Refund available? | Can candidates request a partial recount? | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Requester | Yes | Yes | 16-20,21 |
| Alaska | State/Requester Depends on margin | Yes | Yes | 20.430-490 |
| Arizona | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 16-661,249 |
| Arkansas | Requester | Yes | No | 7-5-319 |
| California | Requester | Yes | Yes | 15620-15634 |
| Colorado | Requester | Yes | No | 10.5-101-109 |
| Connecticut | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 9-445,6-311a |
| Delaware | State | N/A | Yes | 5702(C,E) |
| District of Columbia | Requester | Yes | Yes | 1-1001.11(a) |
| Florida | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 102.141,166 |
| Georgia | State | N/A | Yes | 21-2-495,499 |
| Hawaii | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 11-158 |
| Idaho | State/Requester Depends on margin | Yes | Yes | 34-2301-2309 |
| Illinois | Requester | Maybe[8] | Yes | 5/22-9.1, 18 |
| Indiana | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3-12-11-1-10 |
| Iowa | State | N/A | No | 43.56 &50.48 |
| Kansas | State/Requester Depends on margin | Yes | Yes | 25-3107 |
| Kentucky | Requester | No | Yes | 120.017,095,185,250,280 |
| Louisiana | Requester | Yes | Yes | 18-1451 &1453 |
| Maine | State/Requester Depends on margin | Yes | No | 737-A |
| Maryland | State/Requester Depends on margin | Yes | Yes | 12-101-107 |
| Massachusetts | State | N/A | Yes | 54:135,A,B |
| Michigan | Requester | Yes | Yes | 168.879-894 |
| Minnesota | State/Requester Depends on margin | Yes | Yes | 204C.35-361 |
| Mississippi | No requested recounts | N/A | No | N/A |
| Missouri | Requester | Maybe[9] | No | 115.601 |
| Montana | State/Requester Depends on margin | Maybe[10] | No | 13-16-201-11 |
| Nebraska | Requester | Yes | Yes | 32-1119,1121 |
| Nevada | Requester | Yes | No | 293.403-405 |
| New Hampshire | State/Requester Depends on election type[11] | Varies[12] | No | 660:1-16 |
| New Jersey | Requester | Yes | Yes | 19:28-1,2,3 |
| New Mexico | Requester | Yes | Yes | 1-14-14 to 25 |
| New York | Unclear[13] | No | No | 9-208 |
| North Carolina | State | N/A | No | 163-182.7,182.7A |
| North Dakota | Requester | No | No | 16.1-16-01 |
| Ohio | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3515.01-072 |
| Oklahoma | Requester | Yes | Yes | 26-8-109 to 117 |
| Oregon | Requester | Yes | Yes | 258.006-300 |
| Pennsylvania | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3154g,3261-3 |
| Rhode Island | Unclear[14] | No | No | 17-19-37.1 |
| South Carolina | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 7-17-280 |
| South Dakota | State | N/A | Yes | 12-21-1 to 37 |
| Tennessee | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 2-17,18 |
| Texas | Requester | Yes | Yes | 211 to 216 |
| Utah | State/Requester Depends on requester[15] | No | No | 20A-4-401 |
| Vermont | State | N/A | No | 17-51-2601,2602 |
| Virginia | State/Requester Depends on margin | Yes | No | 8-24.2-800 to 802.3 |
| Washington | Requester | Yes | Yes | 29A.64 |
| West Virginia | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3-6-9 |
| Wisconsin | State/Requester Depends on margin | Yes | Yes | 9.01 &5.90 |
| Wyoming | Requester | Yes | No | 22-16-109 to 114 |
State legislation
The table below lists bills related to recounts introduced during (or carried over to) Missouri's regular legislative session this year. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page onBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
See also
- Election recount laws and procedures in the 50 states
- Voting in Missouri
- Missouri
- Voting methods and equipment by state
Footnotes
- ↑1.01.1Missouri State Legislature, "115.601," accessed September 23, 2025
- ↑2.02.1Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑U.S. Election Assistance Commission, "Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, Volume 1, Version 1.0" accessed September 23, 2025
- ↑Verified Voting, "The Verifier - Election Day Equipment - November 2026," accessed September 23, 2025
- ↑Verified Voting, "Arizona Recount Laws," accessed September 25, 2025
- ↑A court may ordera recount under Arizona law.
- ↑This category encompasses instances where the state government pays for recounts and those states where counties pay.
- ↑A recount alone cannot change the election results, but can be used to contest the election. At the end of that process, thecourt may choose not to levy costs against the prevailing party.
- ↑Recounts occur as part of a contested election. A requester may be required to cover costs before the start of such an event. The court may choose to require the unsuccessful party in a contested election to cover the costs, which could involve a refund to the requester if he or she is the successful party.
- ↑In the case of a court-ordered recount, candidates must pay, but will be refunded if the outcome changes. Regarding non-court-ordered recounts, state law does not mention whether the candidate is refunded in such a case.
- ↑The state covers requested recounts of statewide constitutional amendments. The requester covers all other recounts.
- ↑For local and county ballot measure elections, state law does not mention the possibility of a refund. For all other recounts, costs paid by the requester are refunded if the recount changes the election outcome.
- ↑No mention in state law.
- ↑No mention in state law.
- ↑The state pays for candidate-requested recounts. The requester pays for voter-requested recounts of ballot measures.
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