The drama over an upcoming random drawing that could decide control of the Virginia House of Delegates heightened Thursday as Democrats lost the last of four scheduled House recounts. But with the holidays fast approaching, officials said the big moment will have to wait until next week.
The Virginia State Board of Elections will meet Wednesday in Richmond to break a tie in the Newport News-based 94th District, where Republican Del. David E. Yancey and Democratic challenger Shelly Simonds finished with 11,608 votes each. Under state law, the elections board has to break the tie by writing each candidate’s name down, putting each name in a film canister and picking one at random from a bowl or a hat.
The outcome of the rare tie-breaking ceremony could determine whether the House is split 50-50 or Republicans hold a 51-49 advantage. Democrats flipped 15 other GOP-held seats in the Nov. 7 election, erasing what had been a 66-34 Republican majority.
