Joe Strada remains ahead of Carey Baker in the Republican primary for Florida’s 11th Congressional District following a machine recount that produced only minimal changes in Lake County.

Lake County’s recount, completed Saturday, Aug. 22, added one vote to Strada’s total and one vote to Baker’s total, leaving the difference between the candidates unchanged within the county.

The results remain unofficial until they are certified. According to the Supervisor of Elections office, the Lake County Canvassing Board is scheduled to meet at 10am Wednesday (Aug. 26) to certify the county’s official results and submit them to the Florida Division of Elections.

Before the recount, districtwide unofficial results showed Strada with 27,389 votes, or 33.5%, and Baker with 26,996 votes, or 33%. The candidates were separated by just 393 votes, approximately 0.48% of the votes cast in the five-candidate race.

Under Florida law, a machine recount is required when the margin of victory is one-half of 1% or less unless the trailing candidate declines the recount in writing.

Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays said his office did not receive written notice waiving the recount, so the process moved forward under the supervision of the Lake County Canvassing Board. The recount was ordered by Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd.

“Our recount process went flawlessly, thanks to the entire team’s careful attention to detail,” Hays said in a press release. “I am grateful to every staff member and the Canvassing Board for their dedication throughout the election and recount process.”

Baker won the Lake County portion of the primary, but Strada’s stronger showing in Sumter and Orange counties gave him the narrow districtwide advantage.

Baker said Wednesday that he expected the recount to confirm the initial result as they concluded in the primaries.

“At the end of the day, the voters have spoken,” Baker says. “And while I came close and I know there’s going to be a machinery count, I, quite frankly, fully expected to just confirm the current vote. I’m sure there may be some small changes because there’s provisional ballots that may not have been counted, but that would just be a handful.”

Baker also said he called Strada on election night to congratulate him on his preliminary win and wish him well going forward.

Despite falling short in the districtwide count, Baker said he had no regrets about the nine-week campaign.

“If I thought I had not done all I could do, you know, maybe I would feel bad about this,” he says. “But I know I did all that I could do with the resources I had. I did all I could do, with the time that was allotted in this campaign.”

The latest election totals continue to identify the results as the second unofficial results following the recount. Strada’s apparent nomination will become official after the participating counties complete certification.

Story: Roxanne Batriz & Cindy Peterson