In Virginia a recount is automatic if the difference between the candidates is less than .50% of the total vote. In this case some 2.2million votes cast. It's not that Allen is asking for a recount.
Personally, I think a recount would be futile, but by law Allen, his supporters and the state are entitled to a recount. It might be not so much FINDING 7K votes, as disqualifying 7K votes. The last precincts that came in and flipped the lead Allen held all night for the final tally, after some 99% of the votes had been counted, were from Arlington and Fairfax Counties.
According to the link on Drudge, only 94.57 percent of precincts have been counted. Seems like it's not even a matter of a recount at this point but a COMPLETING of the count.
I read earlier there is no automatic recount in VA. The state foots the bill if one is requested by the trailing candidate under the 0.5% threshold. The trailer can also request one at his or her own expense if the spread is 0.5 to 1.0% I think that's right.
Until the count is announced on Nov 28th there is no count to ask for a recount of.
Everybody is missing that the results we have now are unofficial.
Remember the McDonnell Attorney General race just last year?
He had a 3400 vote lead in the election night unofficial count. But in the official vote count- which his opponent did ask for a recount of- he had only a 300 and something vote lead.
I think he ended up winning by about 300.