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Elections 101: Everything you need to know about election recounts in Pennsylvania

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Elections 101: Everything you need to know about election recounts in Pennsylvania


How does Pennsylvania recount votes?

Counties must submit their unofficial results to the Pennsylvania Department of State by the first Tuesday following the election, which is Nov. 12 this year. If unofficial results show the margin lies within half a percent for a statewide race like those for president or U.S. Senate, the secretary of the commonwealth will order a recount by Nov. 14, according to a Department of State directive. A losing candidate has until Nov. 13 to request a recount not take place.

Counties will then recount all ballots either by hand or using different tabulation machines than the election was initially conducted with.

The recount must begin by the third Wednesday following the election, which this fall will be Nov. 20, and results must be submitted to the secretary by the following Wednesday, Nov. 27.

In the case of precinct-level recount petitions, requesters must file their petition with the local Court of Common Pleas. A judge will then determine if it meets the legal requirements to take place.

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Can a recount change election results?

Recounts that change the outcome of a race are extremely rare, according to a study of statewide recounts by Fair Vote, a nonprofit focused on ranked-choice voting.

The group analyzed nearly 7,000 statewide races between 2000 and 2023, and found only 36 recounts in that time, only three of which resulted in a change of outcome.

“All three reversals occurred when the initial margin was less than 0.06% of all votes cast for the top two candidates,” according to the report.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, there have been seven statewide recounts since the 0.5% rule went into effect in 2004, and none of them changed the outcome of the race.

The most recent was in the 2022 Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

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In that race, Mehmet Oz beat Dave McCormick by 902 votes — a margin of 0.07% — triggering the recount. McCormick conceded before the recount was complete, but the count ultimately shifted the margin by only 49 votes, in Oz’s favor.

Voter-initiated precinct-level recounts are even less likely to affect the outcome of a race than those ordered by the secretary.

In 2022, when supporters of Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano requested recounts around the state, they did not substantially shift the margin in areas where the requests were granted.

Recounts in four Westmoreland County precincts resulted in only a three-vote difference from the original tally. Columbia County also recounted votes in some precincts, and results changed by only one or two votes, officials said at the time.

Could there be a recount this year?

Whether there is an automatic recount of a statewide race this year depends on the margins of victory this November. Current polling indicates the presidential race may be close in Pennsylvania.

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If the margin is within half a percent, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt must order a recount by Nov. 14, according to a calendar of this year’s election. Counties would need to submit the results of that recount to the secretary by Nov. 27.

It’s likely at least some voters will request precinct-level recounts, which could negatively affect the state’s certification process. This year, there is a hard deadline for Pennsylvania to provide its certified slate of presidential electors to Congress.

If precinct-level recount petitions delay certification as they did in 2022, the state could run up against that deadline and the courts may be forced to intervene.



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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania High School Wrestling Rankings Before 2026 PIAA States – FloWrestling

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Pennsylvania High School Wrestling Rankings Before 2026 PIAA States – FloWrestling


Is Pennsylvania the most wrestling-centric state in the country? Does the Keystone State have the most talent? Or even the top talent? Is it harder to win a state title there than anywhere else?

These all are terrific questions, and the answers may vary depending on who you ask and where they’re from, much like our nation’s great pizza debate, where the answers will vary by region.

What we do know for sure, is that Pennsylvania is well-represented in the 2025-2026 FloWrestling High School Wrestling Rankings, but with the 2026 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Boys & Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships on the horizon, where do the competitors rank amongst their peers?

If you follow high school wrestling, you’ve probably already heard many of the names, whether it was at past PIAA events, national tournaments, international competition, college recruiting news or signings, etc.

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Now, here they are listed by weight class in FloWrestling’s latest Pennsylvania-only rankings.

Among the most recognizable are Bishop McCort senior Bo Bassett (152 pounds), his brother and teammate Melvin Miller (172 pounds) and Adam Waters (189 pounds) from rival school Faith Christian Academy. 

As you get ready to see who takes home the titles at the 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships, set for March 5-7 at GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, here’s a look at where everyone falls in the pecking order:

What Are The Weight Classes For High School Wrestling In Pennsylvania?

  • Boys: 107, 114, 121, 127, 133, 139, 145, 152, 160, 172, 189, 215, 285
  • Girls: 100, 106, 112, 118, 124, 130, 136, 142, 148, 155, 170, 190, 235

Pennsylvania High School Wrestling Rankings Before 2026 PIAA State Championships

As of Feb. 22, 2026

Boys

Girls

When Are The 2026 PIAA Boys & Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships?

The 2026 PIAA Boys & Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships will take place March 5-7, live on FloWrestling and the FloSports app.

The first girls wrestling champions in PIAA action were determined in 2024.

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The road back to GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, began with regional competition across 12 sites (eight boys, four girls) in February (Feb. 20-21; Feb. 22; Feb. 27-28; Feb. 28)

Among the highlights at the 2025 event was Bassett winning his second individual PIAA state championship and helping Bishop McCort to a Class AA runner-up finish behind Faith Christian. 

Read more: 2025 PIAA Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets

How To Watch The 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships 

Live coverage of the 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships on March 5-7 will be broadcast on FloWrestling and the FloSports app, with news, notes, stats and more available on both platforms.

Archives will be available immediately following the conclusion of each match.

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If you’re going to be in the area and want to catch the action in person, click here for spectator and ticket information. 

Read more: 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships Schedule & Brackets

2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships Brackets

Here’s where you’ll be able to find the brackets for the 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships: 

2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships Schedule

Here’s a look at when everything is going down:

All Times Eastern

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Wednesday, March 4

  • 4-7 p.m. – Media registration
  • 4-7 p.m. – School registration (AA/Girls/AAA)
  • 4-7 p.m. – Qualifying wrestlers’ workout (AA/Girls/AAA) (six mats)
  • 6 p.m. – Officials’ meeting

Thursday, March 5 (Session 1)

  • 7:30 a.m. – Media registration
  • 7:30 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA)
  • 7:30 a.m. – Late school registration (AA)
  • 7:45 a.m. – Skin condition check (AA)
  • 8 a.m. – Weigh-ins (AA)
  • 9 a.m. – Preliminaries and first round (AA), six mats (52/104 matches)
  • 12:30 p.m. – First-round consolations (AA), six mats
  • 12:30 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (Girls)
  • 12:30 p.m. – Late school registration (Girls)
  • 12:45 p.m. – Skin condition check (Girls)
  • 1 p.m. – Weigh-ins (Girls)
  • 2 p.m. – First round (Girls), six mats (104 matches)
  • 3 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AAA)
  • 3 p.m. – Late school registration (AAA)
  • 3:15 p.m. – Skin condition check (AAA)
  • 3:30 p.m. – Weigh-ins (AAA)
  • 3:30 p.m. – First-round consolations (Girls), six mats (52 matches)
  • 4:30 p.m. – Preliminaries and first round (AAA), six mats (52/104 matches)
  • 8 p.m. – First-round consolations (AAA), six mats (52 matches)

Friday, March 6 (Session 2/Session 3)

  • 6:30 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA)
  • 6:45 a.m. – Skin condition check (AA)
  • 7 a.m. – Weigh-ins (AA)
  • 8 a.m. – Quarterfinals (AA), three mats (52 matches)
  • 8 a.m. – Second-round consolations (AA), three mats (52 matches)
  • 10:15 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (Girls)
  • 10:30 a.m. – Third-round consolations (AA), three mats (52 matches)
  • 10:30 a.m. – Skin condition check (Girls)
  • 10:45 a.m. – Weigh-ins (Girls)
  • 11:45 a.m. – Quarterfinals (Girls), six mats (52 matches)
  • 12:45 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AAA)
  • 1 p.m. – Skin condition check (AAA)
  • 1:15 p.m. – Weigh-ins (AAA)
  • 1:15 p.m. – Second-round consolations (Girls), six mats (52 matches)
  • 2:15 p.m. – Quarterfinals (AAA), three mats (52 matches)
  • 2:15 p.m. – Second-round consolations (AAA), three mats (52 matches)
  • 4:45 p.m. – Third-round consolations (AAA), six mats (52 matches)
  • 6:15 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA/Girls/AAA)
  • 7 p.m. – Semifinals (AA/Girls/AAA), 2/2/2 mats (26/26/26 matches)
  • 9 p.m. – Fourth-round consolations (AA/AAA), 2/2 mats (26/26 matches)
  • 9 p.m. – Third-round consolations (Girls), two mats (26 matches)

Saturday, March 7 (Session 4/Session 5)

  • 8 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA/Girls/AAA) 
  • 8:15 a.m. – Skin condition check (AA/Girls/AAA)
  • 8:30 a.m. – Weigh-ins (AA/Girls/AAA)
  • 8:45 a.m. – Skin condition check, finalists (AA/Girls/AAA)
  • 9 a.m. – Weigh-in, finalists (AA/Girls/AAA)
  • 9:30 a.m. – Fifth-round consolations (AA/AAA), 2/2 mats (26/26 matches)
  • 9:30 a.m. – Fourth-round consolations (Girls), 2 mats (26 matches)
  • 11:30 a.m. – Third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches (AA/Girls/AAA), 2/2/2 mats (39/39/39 matches)
  • 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA/Girls/AAA)
  • 3:40 p.m. – Parade of Champions (AA/Girls/AAA)
  • 4 p.m. – Championship Finals (AA/Girls/AAA), 1/1/1 mats (13/13/13 matches)

When Was The 2026 PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships?

The 2026 PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships took place Feb. 6-7 at the 1st Summit Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and included 20 teams that survived the preliminary and first round of the tournament, which was held Feb. 3 at host schools across the state.

The advancing teams made their way to Johnstown for two more days of intense competition, with the 1st Summit Arena hosting the quarterfinals through the championship matches. 

In Pennsylvania this year, there were 475 schools participating in boys wrestling. 

They were divided into two classifications – 228 schools in AA and 247 schools in AAA – which are further split into 12 districts. Class AA is for schools with 1-308 male enrollees, and Class AAA wrestling includes schools with 309-9999 male students. 

Read more: 2026 PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships Schedule & Brackets

Did You Know: PIAA Wrestling Has A Long History

The first state wrestling championships in Keystone State happened in 1938, while the girls were added to the action in 2024. The PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships debuted in 1999.

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There are 14 four-time individual state champions in Pennsylvania. Another 30 have won three times.

2025-2026 FloWrestling High School Wrestling Rankings

Top 20 as of Feb. 18, 2026

Curious about how the top wrestlers from each state stack up against competitors from across the country?

Click here to see the latest high school rankings from FloWrestling.

FULL DUAL: Bishop McCort vs. Faith Christian | 2026 PIAA AA Team State Finals

Faith Christian has been dominant in team wrestling in Pennsylvania, and Bishop McCort keeps falling just short.

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Trackwrestling Has Joined The New FloWrestling

Trackwrestling officially has merged with FloWrestling, bringing its powerful tournament tracking tools and live data into a modern, all-in-one platform. 

Fans can follow every bout with pro-grade brackets, mat schedules, team rosters and detailed wrestler profiles—all seamlessly integrated within FloWrestling.

This move delivers a faster, smarter and more connected experience for the wrestling community. Through the updated FloSports app, users can track live results, explore brackets and even sign up for free alerts so they never miss a match.

FloWrestling Archived Footage

Video footage from all events on FloWrestling will be archived and stored in a video library for FloWrestling subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

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Man cited after abandoning car in frozen pond at Pennsylvania country club: Police

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Man cited after abandoning car in frozen pond at Pennsylvania country club: Police


A man has been cited after police said he drove a vehicle into a frozen pond at a country club in Pennsylvania, left the scene, then spent the night in a hotel.

According to the East Lampeter Township Police Department, on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, around 10:38 a.m., officers were called to the Lancaster Country Club after receiving reports about a vehicle in a pond.

Police said that, through an investigation, it was learned that Sung Chun, a 50-year-old man from Hoboken, New Jersey, had driven onto the property the day before around 8:30 p.m., crossed portions of the golf course, and ultimately ended up in a pond.

Chun then exited the vehicle and walked away without reporting the incident and spent the night at a nearby hotel, according to police.

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Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department

Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department

Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department

Police said Chun returned to the location while police were on scene investigating the incident and was ultimately cited with “Trespass by Motor Vehicle.”



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State College, Pennsylvania: 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards

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State College, Pennsylvania: 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards


In rural Pennsylvania, State College houses Penn State against a backdrop of beautiful country scenery. The university hosts many events, arts performances, and lively festivals that give the town year-round excitement that blends student life with local charm. Visitors can attend a football game, explore nearby parks and trails, and savor the town’s growing culinary scene of pubs and local eateries.



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