Harrisburg, PA – Acting Secretary of State Veronica Degraffenreid announced today that all 67 counties have completed the recount of the Commonwealth Court race and the recount results confirm the original unofficial election results, with Lori A. Dumas winning the second open seat on the court.

“I want to thank the counties for their hard work. They have had a very busy couple of weeks counting the ballots from the Nov. 2 election, immediately followed by the recount of this race,” Secretary Degraffenreid said. “The recount results prove the accuracy and integrity of our election system.”

The recount results are as follows:

• Stacy Marie Wallace (R) – 1,355,445 (26.56 percent)
• Lori A. Dumas (D) – 1,297,253 (25.42 percent)
• Drew Crompton (R) – 1,274,899 (24.98 percent)
• David Lee Spurgeon (D) – 1,175,974 (23.04 percent)

The original unofficial returns when the recount was ordered showed the following results:

• Stacy Marie Wallace (R) – 1,352,365 (26.61 percent)
• Lori A. Dumas (D) – 1,288,936 (25.36 percent)
• Drew Crompton (R) – 1,272,132 (25.03 percent)
• David Lee Spurgeon (D) – 1,168,314 (22.99 percent)

Dumas and Crompton, the second- and third-place finishers respectively, had vote totals within the one-half of one percent margin that triggers a mandatory recount under state law.

Secretary Degraffenreid ordered the recount on Nov. 11. Counties completed their work Tuesday and submitted the recount results to the Department of State by the deadline of noon today.

The department estimates that the recount cost at least $1.3 million of taxpayer funds.

This is the fifth time the automatic recount provision under Act 97 of 2004 has been triggered and the third time a recount has been carried out.

The first recount was conducted in the Superior Court race in November 2009, where nine candidates were competing for four vacancies. In that election, there was a difference of 3,330 votes between the fourth- and sixth-place candidates, and a margin of 2,006 votes between the fourth- and fifth-place finishers. The recount affirmed the initial results.

The second recount was ordered in May 2011 in the Democratic primary contest for a seat on the Commonwealth Court, when the margin between the two candidates was 2,116 votes. The recount affirmed the initial results.

A recount in the 2010 Democratic primary race for lieutenant governor was averted when the trailing candidate waived his right to a recount. In 2017, three candidates for Superior Court, all of whose vote totals fell within the recount margin, waived their right to a recount. And in 2019, the third-place finisher in the race for two open seats on the Superior Court waived her right to a recount.

The Commonwealth Court is an intermediate appellate court that primarily handles matters involving state and local governments. It also acts as a trial court when lawsuits are filed against the Commonwealth.

Since the counties conducted a full recount of a statewide race, counties will not be asked to do a risk-limiting audit of the 2021 municipal election.

Unofficial returns for the Nov. 2 election and for the recount can be found at electionreturns.pa.gov.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard surface and air units combined efforts to locate and rescue 12 migrants from a disabled 18-foot skiff in waters southeast of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

The rescued migrants reportedly were traveling with two other migrant vessels, when their vessel became disabled and separated from the group.

“Thanks to the quick response and great coordination between fellow partner agencies, our watchstanders and Coast Guard responding units, all 12 lives were saved in this case,” said Chief Petty Officer Luis Cabrera, Boat Forces Detachment St. Thomas chief supervisor. “Despite the successful rescue, we cannot lose sight of the dangers associated with illegal migrant voyages. These voyages most often take place aboard grossly overloaded vessels with little or no lifesaving equipment.  For anyone considering taking part in an illegal voyage, don’t take to the sea! The risk is just not worth it and not doing so could just save your life.”

Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a call at 4:53 a.m. Thursday from a 911 Emergency Service operator, who relayed a report from local police that multiple agencies had apprehended 30 migrants, mostly Venezuelan nationals, from two vessels that made landfall at Bolongo Bay in St. Thomas.  The apprehended migrants reported there was a third migrant vessel disabled and adrift, approximately 20 miles southeast of St. Thomas.

Coast Guard watchstanders directed the launch of a MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Borinquen and two 33-foot Special Purpose Craft – Law Enforcement from Boat Forces Detachment St. Thomas to search for and rescue any survivors.  Approximately four hours later, the crew of the Coast Guard helicopter located the disabled vessel with the migrants safely onboard and vectored-in the Coast Guard boat crews to their position.  The migrant survivors, 10 men and two women, were safely embarked aboard the Coast Guard vessel and transported to St. Thomas.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — While many workers deemed essential in their respective states have already received pandemic hazard pay or hero pay, there are thousands more still waiting for the same financial pat-on-the-back. Many work in places like Connecticut, Minnesota and cities around the country that are still trying to figure out whether and how to distribute funds to what’s become a huge pool of heroes. In Connecticut, state lawmakers in June set aside $22.5 million in federal pandemic funds for essential state employees and members of the Connecticut National Guard. But so far, no checks have been cut. Meanwhile, there’s a push to reward even more people with the money.

The video of Ahmaud Arbery’s shotgun death was a shocking piece of evidence that suddenly brought the Black man’s killing into the national consciousness. But the murder convictions of the three white men may have been secured by their own words to investigators the day of the shooting. Greg McMichael told police the Black man “was trapped like a rat” and he told Arbery: “Stop, or I’ll blow your … head off!” Statements like that allowed prosecutors to give context to the short video that didn’t show the entire shooting and had little of the five minutes that the men chased Arbery.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — For decades, the tiny Marshall Islands has been a stalwart American ally. Its location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has made it a key strategic outpost for the U.S. military. But that loyalty is being tested amid a dispute with Washington over the terms of its “Compact of Free Association” agreement, which expires soon. The U.S. is refusing to engage the Marshallese on claims for environmental and health damage caused by dozens of nuclear tests it carried out in the 1940s and 1950s. The dispute has some U.S. lawmakers worried that China might be willing to step into the breach, adding to a bruising competition for geopolitical dominance between the two superpowers.

NANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) — President Joe Biden is wishing Americans a happy and closer-to-normal Thanksgiving. It was the second Thanksgiving celebrated in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. The president and first lady Jill Biden visited a Coast Guard station on Nantucket Island to extend Thanksgiving greetings virtually to service members around the world and chat with Coast Guard personnel. They also released a holiday greeting to Americans in a video recorded before their trip to Nantucket for the holiday. The Bidens also called in to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which resumed in full.

BRUSSELS (AP) — A slew of nations have moved to stop air travel from southern Africa, and stocks have plunged in Asia and Europe in reaction to news of a new, potentially more transmissible COVID-19 variant. German Health Minister Jens Spahn said that “the last thing we need is to bring in a new variant that will cause even more problems” amid a massive spike of cases in Europe. There are fears that the new variant could be even more contagious than the current predominant one and could bypass the effectiveness of the vaccination campaigns.

NEW YORK (AP) — Retailers are expected to usher in the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season Friday with bigger crowds than last year in a closer step toward normalcy. But the fallout from the pandemic continues to weigh on businesses and shoppers’ minds. Buoyed by solid hiring, healthy pay gains and substantial savings, customers are returning to stores and splurging on all types of items. But the spike has also resulted in limited selection across the board as suppliers and retailers have been caught flat-footed. Shortages of shipping containers and truckers have helped to delay deliveries, while inflation continues to creep. The combination of higher prices and lack of inventory could make for a less festive mood.

U.S. health officials say Merck’s experimental COVID-19 pill is effective but they raised questions about its safety during pregnancy. The Food and Drug Administration posted its review Friday ahead of a public meeting next week where outside experts will debate the drug’s benefits and risks. If FDA authorizes the drug it would be the first pill for U.S. patients infected with the virus. All FDA-authorized drugs currently used against coronavirus require an IV or injection. The FDA will ask its experts whether the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks.

NEW YORK (AP) — Shoppers buoyed by solid hiring, healthy pay gains and substantial savings are returning to stores and splurging on all types of items. But the big question is how much will supply shortages, higher prices and staffing issues dampen shoppers’ mood this holiday season. Shoppers, already fatigued with pandemic-induced social distancing policies and other setbacks, may get grumpy if they can’t find the help they need at the stores, or can’t find their top choice item. They may also be disappointed by some of the skimpy holiday discounts. Still, don’t write off the resilience of shoppers who have shown signs they want to celebrate the holidays after muted celebrations last year.