Government
McDow’s 289-vote lead puts House District 33 inside the machine-recount line
Brevard’s first unofficial results now include provisional and cured mail ballots. McDow gained 36 votes and Miller 21 since election night; overseas ballots are still outside the count, and no recount order has been made public.
Democrat Daniel R. McDow’s lead over Republican Monique Miller grew by 15 votes in Brevard’s first unofficial results Friday, keeping Florida House District 33 inside the margin that triggers a machine recount under state law.
The Supervisor of Elections results page, last updated at 3:00:32 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, shows McDow with 36,430 votes (50.20%) and Miller with 36,141 (49.80%), with all 33 district precincts reporting.
The gap is 289 votes out of 72,571 votes for the two candidates, or 0.398%. That is below Florida’s 0.5% machine-recount threshold but above the separate 0.25% threshold for a manual recount of overvotes and undervotes.
At that margin, the statute says a recount “shall be ordered” unless the trailing candidate asks in writing that it not be made. For state races, the Secretary of State is responsible for ordering it. As of Saturday morning, 321 Daily had not found a public recount order or a written waiver. The race remains unofficial.
What changed after Friday’s ballot review
The county’s Nov. 4 count showed McDow at 36,394 and Miller at 36,120, a 274-vote lead. The current page is labeled “1st UNOFFICIAL RESULTS” and says it includes provisional ballots and mail ballots eligible to be cured. It does not include 10-day overseas ballots.
Since then McDow added 36 votes and Miller 21, widening the lead from 274 to 289. The posted totals do not say how many of the new votes were provisional ballots and how many were cured mail ballots.
Brevard’s canvassing schedule set the review of mail and provisional ballots for 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, with certification of first unofficial results “if a recount is not required.”
Where 289 votes sits against the two lines
Current gap: 289 votes (0.398%)
Machine-recount line, 0.5%: about 363 votes
Manual-recount line, 0.25%: about 181 votes
These are 321 Daily calculations from the two candidates’ posted totals. The law measures the margin against “the votes cast for such office,” and the official recount determination may use a different count.
The manual-recount test applies to the second set of unofficial returns and covers overvotes and undervotes, not a hand count of every ballot. The current 289-vote gap does not meet it.
The next dates in Melbourne
Nov. 6–9, 9 a.m.: sorting ballots for a recount, if necessary
Tuesday–Thursday, Nov. 10–12, 9 a.m.: recount if required, and certification of second unofficial results if necessary
Friday, Nov. 13, 2 p.m.: review of the 10-day count of overseas mail ballots and certification of official results
Canvassing Board meetings are at the Election Support Center, 525 N. John Rodes Blvd., Melbourne, and are open to the public, political parties, candidates and press. The board may meet at other times or cancel meetings as needed.
Cape Canaveral: third-seat gap narrows to 17
In Cape Canaveral’s vote-for-three City Council race, Dan Coon has 1,458 votes and Brad Pervell 1,441 for the third seat, a 17-vote gap, down from 18 on Nov. 4 (1,457 to 1,439). Kay Jackson (2,076) and Don Willis (1,975) lead the field. Measured against all 8,222 votes cast in the race, 17 votes is about 0.21%. 321 Daily has not found an official statement on whether a recount applies.
Still unconfirmed
A public recount order or waiver; the mix of ballots behind Friday’s additions; and any change from overseas ballots or a recount. All figures here are unofficial.
Based on Brevard Supervisor of Elections results and notices and Florida Statutes, checked Saturday morning, Nov. 7. 321 Daily did not seek comment for this story.
