Goode and Perriello Likely Headed to a Recount For VA-5
(Click here for an updated article.)
A recount in the hotly contested Virginia Fifth District race between incumbent Republican Virgil Goode and Democratic Challenger Tom Perriello is almost certain, according to an election official in Prince Edward County. The candidates are separated by a mere 31 votes (0.01%) according to figures published on the State Elections Board website at 3:37 PM today. At last count, Periello has received 157,456 votes, while Virgil Goode has received 157,425 votes. There were 174 write-in votes, almost six times the margin that separates Perriello and Goode.
An election official at my church (name withheld) said the recount would probably occur in early December and take about one day to complete. See also an article in the Richmond Times Dispatch.
General information on recounts in Virginia can be found here. State law reads in part:
In Virginia, there are no automatic recounts. Only an apparent losing candidate can ask for a recount, and only if the difference between the apparent winning and that apparent losing candidates is 1% or less of the total votes cast for those two candidates. The apparent loser cannot request a recount until after the election is certified.
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The Chief Judge of the Circuit Court where the recount petition was filed and two other judges appointed by the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Virginia make up the recount court. The recount court, according to § 24.2-802 of the Code of Virginia, outlines all procedures and the manner in which the recount will be conducted for each type of voting equipment used in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This includes appointing recount officials from among the officers of election who served during the election and who are appointed to represent the respective parties to 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.
Nice job of providing a easily understood explanation of the issue and procedures to follow. The only thing I would add is to note the number of provisional votes that were case. Not sure of the number but it appears to be larger than normal. I would expect both parties to have their lawyers present at the recounts to argue their position regarding whether or not each individual provisional vote should have been counted.
When Goode last won, his opponent declared that the only way Goode would leave this seat was if he died. Also here is a Goode anecdote. Years ago Goode was in the home of my mother perusing Election memorabilia which he would buy for his collection and he removed his shoes and began scratching his feet under my genteel mother’s dining room table. I’ve been waiting for Tom and I hope just retribution comes with a just defeat of Mr. Goode.