Hand recounts are underway for a number of races from last month's local primaries.

Board of Election workers started working their way through ballots for a second time Tuesday morning at a Monroe County facility on Brighton-Henrietta Townline Road.

What You Need To Know

  • Recounts are underway at the Monroe County Board of Elections

  • Employees are recounting ballots in seven races too close to call

  • One of the races being recounted is for Monroe County Court judge

  • Recounting is expected to last the rest of the week

Under a new state law, seven primary races in the county have met the criteria for a recount.

Nine votes separated candidates in the county's 24th legislative Democratic primary.

"Any race that is within .5 percentage points of winning or losing, or 20 votes, has to have an automatic recount," Monroe County Board of Elections Commissioner Lisa Nicolay (R) said. "So that's what we're doing today."

"We are using completely different machines [and] software as a kind of checks and balances from the previous machines and software to be able to do the auditing process for the recount," Monroe County Board of Elections Commissioner Jackie Ortiz (D) said.

One of the races being recounted is for Monroe County Court judge.

Doug Randall and Van White were on hand Tuesday as the recounting started.

"There’s been no indication or allegations of any voter fraud in Monroe County, certainly not in this primary," Randall said. "They’re just taking extra time counting."

For White, the Rochester City School Board president and a self-described political science junkie, watching the process take place made him feel lucky to be a part of it.

“Amazed that I can be in such a close election," White said. "And that it is not my victory or loss being protected, but the voter’s intention.”

The recounting is expected to last the rest of the week.