NC Board of Elections declines Berger request for hand-eye recount of 220 ballots

By: Brandon Kingdollar

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: March 18, 2026

Words: 831

Last Updated: 2 days, 16 hours ago

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Republican state Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) was handed a setback in his election recount efforts Wednesday when the North Carolina State Board of Elections declined to take up his request for an expedited hand-eye recount of 220 ballots.

The decision comes as Berger seeks to overcome a 23-vote deficit to primary opponent Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. The request for the hand-eye examination — meaning visual review by human counters without the use of …

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