TALLAHASSEE — Florida has formally ordered a machine recount in the Florida congressional race where the top two candidates in the crowded Democratic primary are separated by just three votes.

Secretary of State Laurel Lee approved the recount for Florida’s 20th congressional district late Thursday evening, and local election offices began running ballots through machines on Friday morning.

The winner of the Democratic primary is all-but guaranteed to win the safely-Democratic seat that was held for years by Rep. Alcee Hastings, who died in spring. The special election will be held on Jan. 11.

Both South Florida health care CEO Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness received nearly 24 percent of the primary vote, with Cherfilus-McCormick in front of Holness by three votes despite more than 49,000 ballots being cast.

Florida law requires an automatic machine recount if the margin is one-half of one percent or less. If the margin is .25 percent or less after the machine recount then election officials must do a hand recount of ballots that either registered no vote or were disqualified because it appeared that more than one candidate was chosen.

How we got here: Hastings, who was in office for nearly 30 years, died in April following a battle with pancreatic cancer. The Democratic primary attracted 11 candidates, including three legislators as well as current and former local elected officials.

Voter turnout in the special off-year election was light in the district, which connects several Black cities and neighborhoods in Palm Beach and Broward counties as well as farming communities near Lake Okeechobee.

What’s next: If the margin remains exceedingly close, Lee will order a hand recount. The eventual Democratic primary winner will square off against Republican Jason Mariner, who won the GOP primary and three other independent and minor party candidates during the January special election.