Under Virginia law, only the apparent losing candidate can ask for a recount, and only if the difference between the apparent winning and losing candidate is 1% or less of the total votes cast for the two candidates.
There were more than 2.3 million votes cast in the Senatorial contest in Virginia yesterday. The one percent threshold would be 23,000. Currently, with 99.8% of precincts reporting (see note, below), the difference between the candidates is 7,146 votes -- well within the threshold.
The apparent loser cannot request a recount until after the election is certified. The State Board of Elections will not meet to certify the results of the November 7, 2006 election until Monday, November 27, 2006. George Allen will have has ten days from the certification date to request a recount, so the time frame for filing a request for a recount for this election is November 27, 2006, through December 7, 2006.
An apparent losing candidate requesting a recount of an election for a statewide office must file a petition requesting a recount with the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond. The Chief Judge and two other judges appointed by the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Virginia make up the recount court.
The Chief Judge of the Richmond Court is Theodore J. Markow. Markow is somewhat infamous for his ruling that a plaintiff could not recover damages from a former lover who had infected the plaintiff with herpes. Markow threw out the case holding that the plaintiff was barred from recovery because fornication between unmarried persons was illegal. (You see why Santorum likes living in Virginia?) His ruling was later overruled by an unanimous Virginia Supreme Court.
The recount court sets all of the rules and procedures for conducting the recount and appoints the people to perform the recount. In setting the procedures for the recount, the court will also decide if the actual counting of votes cast will take place in the various localities or in a central location. After all of the votes cast are recounted, the court will certify the candidate with the most votes as the winner.
The counties and cities involved in a recount are responsible for paying the costs of the recount if the margin of difference between the apparent winning and losing candidates is a half of a percent or less or the candidate requesting the recount is declared the winner. Otherwise, the candidate who requested the recount must pay the costs of the proceedings.
NOTE: According to information obtained from the Virginia State Board of Elections, the uncounted votes are the absentee ballots in Fairfax City. Fairfax City cast 7,456 total votes, 56% of which were in favor of Webb. Even if there were 7,000 absentee ballots and they ALL went to Allen, Allen still loses.
There were more than 2.3 million votes cast in the Senatorial contest in Virginia yesterday. The one percent threshold would be 23,000. Currently, with 99.8% of precincts reporting (see note, below), the difference between the candidates is 7,146 votes -- well within the threshold.
The apparent loser cannot request a recount until after the election is certified. The State Board of Elections will not meet to certify the results of the November 7, 2006 election until Monday, November 27, 2006. George Allen will have has ten days from the certification date to request a recount, so the time frame for filing a request for a recount for this election is November 27, 2006, through December 7, 2006.
An apparent losing candidate requesting a recount of an election for a statewide office must file a petition requesting a recount with the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond. The Chief Judge and two other judges appointed by the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Virginia make up the recount court.
The Chief Judge of the Richmond Court is Theodore J. Markow. Markow is somewhat infamous for his ruling that a plaintiff could not recover damages from a former lover who had infected the plaintiff with herpes. Markow threw out the case holding that the plaintiff was barred from recovery because fornication between unmarried persons was illegal. (You see why Santorum likes living in Virginia?) His ruling was later overruled by an unanimous Virginia Supreme Court.
The recount court sets all of the rules and procedures for conducting the recount and appoints the people to perform the recount. In setting the procedures for the recount, the court will also decide if the actual counting of votes cast will take place in the various localities or in a central location. After all of the votes cast are recounted, the court will certify the candidate with the most votes as the winner.
The counties and cities involved in a recount are responsible for paying the costs of the recount if the margin of difference between the apparent winning and losing candidates is a half of a percent or less or the candidate requesting the recount is declared the winner. Otherwise, the candidate who requested the recount must pay the costs of the proceedings.
NOTE: According to information obtained from the Virginia State Board of Elections, the uncounted votes are the absentee ballots in Fairfax City. Fairfax City cast 7,456 total votes, 56% of which were in favor of Webb. Even if there were 7,000 absentee ballots and they ALL went to Allen, Allen still loses.
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