GOP pushes for random drawing in tied race to decide control of Va. House

FAIRFAX, Va. — Republicans want Virginia’s State Board of Elections to draw names from a bowl to decide the winner of a tied race in Newport News before the General Assembly session starts Jan. 10.

In a letter sent to the State Board of Elections Friday, House GOP lawyer Trevor Stanley asks on behalf of Republican Del. David Yancey that the drawing be held as soon as possible.

The letter argued that delaying the drawing that had originally been scheduled for Wednesday “circumvents the laws of this Commonwealth and, ultimately, deprives the people of House District 94 their rightful representative in the House of Delegates.”

The drawing was delayed after legal filings by Democrat Shelly Simonds, who has asked the recount court to reconsider and declare her the winner.

Simonds has complained that a ballot — challenged later than usual by a Republican recount official and that ended up being counted for Yancey, creating the tie — should not have been considered or have been found to be a vote for Yancey.

Lawyers for Yancey also filed motions Friday opposing Simonds’ request that the recount court reconsider.

Yancey’s attorneys wrote that the tie result was proper, and the State Board of Elections should be directed to decide the result be random drawing as soon as possible.

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