HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s secretary of state ordered a statewide recount Friday of ballots cast in the election for four open seats on the state Superior Court.

The recount, expected to cost taxpayers as much as $1.3 million, will be the first statewide recount triggered by law in Pennsylvania history, Secretary of State Pedro Cortes said.

A 2004 state law provides for an automatic recount whenever competing candidates’ vote totals are separated by 0.5 percent of the votes cast or less.