Superior Officials Recap Election Night, Brace for Potential Recount

SUPERIOR, Wis.– After a long election day, officials in Superior are pleased with the city’s efforts counting up votes. With Wisconsin swinging toward Joe Biden, election officials might not be done yet as President Trump may ask for a recount.

The city of Superior had to navigate an election unlike any other due to the pandemic. They also had an increase in voter turnout. But they may not be done yet.

The Superior City Clerk says 88 percent of registered voters cast their ballots in this year’s election, adding that they had no issues at the city’s 5 polling locations.

More than half of the city’s votes coming from people skipping the polls to vote early. Absentee ballots were counted right at city hall.

“It was a bigger number than normal but it was a little bit overwhelming but we’ve never had that volume of absentee voters before,” said Superior City Clerk Terri Kalan.

With the race being so tight, ballots are still being stored in a safe location in case of a recount in the state, which president trump plans to do.

City officials say a candidate can ask for a recount if the votes are under a 1 percent margin of difference. But that can’t be requested until the state fully counts all the votes which might not happen until November 17. And voting officials say more steps still need to be done.

“That process can’t even start until the state certifies the election results. And that won’t happen until December 1,” said Kalan. “We would probably hand count the ballots like we did in the past. It’s actually a little quicker than going through the machine and you’re actually laying your eyes on those ballots.”

If a recount were to take place, it would be done by the counties but Superior officials say they would help in Douglas County’s efforts. The last time a recount was held in Wisconsin was in 2016.