Recounts are an important part of the election process, conducted to check the results of close elections or when a losing candidate requests a recount. Recounts tend to happen in small, local elections that fall under the radar. Statewide recounts, while relatively rare, are high-profile events that attract scrutiny from across the country. Recounts of any kind serve as a stress test of our elections infrastructure, closely examining both the results of an election and the processes used to conduct elections. While they involve extensive labor by dedicated election officials and volunteers, recounts provide assurance to candidates and voters of the results of an election and help us find ways to improve our election systems.