By NEIL H. SIMON, Media General News Service
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Six-term Republican Rep. Virgil Goode will seek a recount in Virginia’s 5th Congressional district race.
On Monday the state certified he lost to Democrat Tom Perriello by 745 votes – a 0.23 percent margin in the race. Shortly thereafter, Goode announced he will file a formal recount request Tuesday (Nov. 25).
“It’s an uphill fight, no question,” Goode said of the prospect that the recount will reverse the result. But the race has seen lead shifts before. Goode led the day after the election by about 450 votes.
“With literally thousands of vote changes taking place during the post-election canvass process -- a recount is an important protection for voters,” Goode said. Voters encouraged him to seek a recount in the weeks since the Nov. 4 election, he said.
The National Republican Campaign Committee, which works to elect Republicans to Congress, has also financially supported Goode’s recount effort.
“There is certainly a cloud over this election,” said Ken Spain, spokesman for the campaign committee, pointing to accusations of voter fraud in the election.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee responded by accusing Republicans of trying to “block progress” for the Virginia district.
“It’s obvious that Virgil Goode and the NRCC have sour grapes,” said DCCC spokeswoman Kyra Jennings. “The election didn’t go their way,” so no they’re questioning the bipartisan canvass process, she said.
Perriello said he respects any decision Goode made regarding the recount.
“I am honored and humbled,” Perriello said in a news conference after the state certified his victory, by what he called “a whopping 745 votes.”
“I look forward to earning the trust of not only those who voted for me but those who didn’t,” he said, adding the recount process would have “no affect” on his transition into the office as Goode’s successor.
Perriello spent last week attending new U.S. House member orientation in Washington and lobbying for committee assignments.
Goode and Perriello have not spoken to one another since Nov. 3, but the Republican said it was “appropriate” for Perriello to attend orientation and undertake plans to occupy the office. The congressional district represents the vast area of Southside Virginia north through Charlottesville.
“If it turns out he wins, I will congratulate him and wish him well,” Goode said.
Both sides would be able to choose from election officials to recount ballots under the state recount process.
Since the margin of victory is less than 1 percent, the cities and counties within the district will have to pay for the recount. The state law is not clear how fast the votes must be recounted, but Goode said he expected the recount to be completed by the second or third week of December.
Meanwhile, a federal court is considering whether overseas ballots returned after Election Day but before November 14 should be counted. There are not believed to be enough ballots to change the results in the fifth district race.
A few other recount facts from Virginia election law:
-Voter eligibility. It “shall not be an issue in a recount.”
-Computers win. If a precinct’s log book shows more people cast ballots than indicated by an electronic machine, the machine trumps the voter log book and “shall be accepted as correct.”
-No do-overs. The election code says “recount proceeding shall be final and not subject to appeal."
On Monday the state certified he lost to Democrat Tom Perriello by 745 votes – a 0.23 percent margin in the race. Shortly thereafter, Goode announced he will file a formal recount request Tuesday (Nov. 25).
“It’s an uphill fight, no question,” Goode said of the prospect that the recount will reverse the result. But the race has seen lead shifts before. Goode led the day after the election by about 450 votes.
“With literally thousands of vote changes taking place during the post-election canvass process -- a recount is an important protection for voters,” Goode said. Voters encouraged him to seek a recount in the weeks since the Nov. 4 election, he said.
The National Republican Campaign Committee, which works to elect Republicans to Congress, has also financially supported Goode’s recount effort.
“There is certainly a cloud over this election,” said Ken Spain, spokesman for the campaign committee, pointing to accusations of voter fraud in the election.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee responded by accusing Republicans of trying to “block progress” for the Virginia district.
“It’s obvious that Virgil Goode and the NRCC have sour grapes,” said DCCC spokeswoman Kyra Jennings. “The election didn’t go their way,” so no they’re questioning the bipartisan canvass process, she said.
Perriello said he respects any decision Goode made regarding the recount.
“I am honored and humbled,” Perriello said in a news conference after the state certified his victory, by what he called “a whopping 745 votes.”
“I look forward to earning the trust of not only those who voted for me but those who didn’t,” he said, adding the recount process would have “no affect” on his transition into the office as Goode’s successor.
Perriello spent last week attending new U.S. House member orientation in Washington and lobbying for committee assignments.
Goode and Perriello have not spoken to one another since Nov. 3, but the Republican said it was “appropriate” for Perriello to attend orientation and undertake plans to occupy the office. The congressional district represents the vast area of Southside Virginia north through Charlottesville.
“If it turns out he wins, I will congratulate him and wish him well,” Goode said.
Both sides would be able to choose from election officials to recount ballots under the state recount process.
Since the margin of victory is less than 1 percent, the cities and counties within the district will have to pay for the recount. The state law is not clear how fast the votes must be recounted, but Goode said he expected the recount to be completed by the second or third week of December.
Meanwhile, a federal court is considering whether overseas ballots returned after Election Day but before November 14 should be counted. There are not believed to be enough ballots to change the results in the fifth district race.
A few other recount facts from Virginia election law:
-Voter eligibility. It “shall not be an issue in a recount.”
-Computers win. If a precinct’s log book shows more people cast ballots than indicated by an electronic machine, the machine trumps the voter log book and “shall be accepted as correct.”
-No do-overs. The election code says “recount proceeding shall be final and not subject to appeal."