Three Virginia House of Delegates races are too close to call. Just 12 votes separate Republican incumbent David Yancey from democrat Shelly Simonds in the 94th District. It could mean a handful of recounts across the state will decide who controls the General Assembly for the next two years. Elections officials say the final vote count has not been finalized because elections offices in cities and counties still have a few days to count ballots. Elections offices must have a count by Wednesday to the State Board of Elections. The Board has until Nov. 20 to present a certified final tally.
Jesse Richman is a political science professor at Old Dominion University. He says offices haven’t counted provisional ballots, where people vote without ID’s at the time the vote was placed. Virginia requires an ID to vote, but provisional ballots are submitted without ID’s. If a voter did not bring their ID with them on election day, they have until noon on Monday to show it to their election office.
Add to that, three or four close races and candidates are already talking about recounts. “If their race is within one percent, they can request a recount,” said Richman.
Richman said recounts are a big deal “because control of the House of Delegates is in the balance.”
Full Article: Recounts expected following tight races in the Va. House | 13NEWSNOW.com.