Free Republic

RICHMOND — Democrat Shelly Simonds has conceded the tied 94th District race out of Newport News that was decided by a random drawing last week. Simonds, who had suggested she might seek a second recount or contest the election, said she did not see any paths forward to challenge Republican Del. David Yancey’s re-election. She tweeted about 45 minutes before the General Assembly convened that she was conceding with “great disappointment.” I have conceded because I do not see any legal pathways forward and I want representation for the 94th district today. — Shelly Simonds (@shelly_simonds) January 10, 2018

The disputed ballot that ended the race in a tie. Democrat Shelly Simonds had asked the court to reverse course and declare her the winner. (Ballot in court documents) WASHINGTON — A recount court has denied Democrat Shelly Simonds’ request to reconsider its finding that Virginia’s 94th District House race ended in a tie at 11,608 votes. The ruling, issued Wednesday, means the random drawing scheduled to decide the outcome of the recount between Simonds and Republican Del. David Yancey is set to move forward as planned Thursday morning barring any snow-related delays. (The Department of Elections said no schedule...

Election officials say they've postponed their plan to break a tie in a Virginia House race that could decide party control of the chamber. Elections Commissioner Edgardo Cortes confirmed the postponement Tuesday in an email to The Associated Press. Election officials had planned to draw names from a bowl Wednesday.

A Virginia Democrat running for a seat in the state’s House of Delegates against her Republican opponent filed a motion Tuesday asking a court to reconsider its decision to tie the race. A recount appeared to declare candidate Shelly Simonds victorious over Republican delegate David Yancey by one vote last week. But a day later, a three-judge panel certified the tie with 11,608 to 11,608 in the 94th District in Newport News. Now, she’s arguing that the court failed to follow state election rules after a controversial vote was counted to tie the race. The Virginia State Board of Elections...

WASHINGTON — Democrat Joshua Cole will not contest his narrow election loss to Republican Bob Thomas, despite earlier indications that he was considering asking the House of Delegates for an election do-over. Thomas won the 28th District race by 73 votes. Cole had repeatedly raised concerns about the 147 total voters in the Stafford and Fredericksburg area who cast votes in the wrong races across the 28th, 88th and 2nd House districts because they were assigned to the wrong districts in a state voter registration database. Cole, who had signaled he was strongly considering filing a contest, will instead continue...

A three- judge panel declined to certify the recount of a key House race today, saying that a questionable ballot should be counted in favor of the Republican and tying a race that Democrats had thought they had won by a single vote. “The court declares there is no winner in this election,” said Circuit Court Judge Bryant L. Sugg, after the judges deliberated for more than two hours. The court’s decision leaves the race for the 94th District tied at 11,608 votes for each Del. David Yancey, the Republican incumbent, and Shelly Simonds, his Democratic challenger. And it leaves...