Source: Anthony Bradshaw / Getty
In the last chapter in an unusual and drawn-out statehouse race, Virginia is conducting a drawing Thursday to determine the result of last month’s election recount.
After a December recount for House District 94 in Newport News, the Democratic candidate, Shelly Simonds, was initially declared the winner by just one vote. But after another ballot was re-examined and counted for the Republican incumbent, David Yancey, the race was declared a tie – each candidate having 11,608 votes.
The Control of the Virginia House of Delegates is at stake. Virginia law dictates that when candidates have an equal number of votes, the state election board shall “determine by lot which of the candidates shall be declared elected.” Each candidate’s name will be placed in a film canister which will then be drawn from a bowl.
