VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — In Virginia Beach, there are still thousands of absentee ballots that need to be added to the election results. However, it's unlikely any major race will change when all ballots are counted.
As of Wednesday afternoon, about 10,500 ballots still need to be counted and added to election results totals, according to Jeffrey Marks, Virginia Beach Electoral Board Chairman.
Marks said 8,528 of these ballots are absentee ballots that election officials received in the last few days. The others are provisional ballots.
In this election, Virginia Beach election officials report an increase in provisional ballots as voters requested absentee ballots, but then decided to vote in person.
Currently, all in-person ballots in Virginia Beach - both from early voting and Election Day voting - have already been counted and reported as part of the city's election results.
Registrar Donna Patterson said the absentee ballots that still need to be counted include those dropped off at drop boxes at precincts on Election Day.
“So there’s a lot of ballots, vote by mail ballots, that are still out there.”
With Representative Elaine Luria currently leading Scott Taylor by about 13,000 votes, and Mayor Bobby Dyer currently leading Jody Wagner by about 18,000 votes, these two results are expected to stay the same.
Taylor and Wagner both conceded Wednesday.
Virginia Beach election workers will continue counting ballots through the Friday noon deadline.
If absentee ballots are postmarked by Election Day, they will count. Virginia Beach will update election results on Friday afternoon.
“So just be patient with us, we’re moving as fast as we can but accuracy in the final result is very important," said Patterson.
On Wednesday, Virginia Beach started the canvass, or final tally of votes, for all in-person votes cast. That canvass is expected to be completed on Thursday.
The canvass of the absentee ballots will begin after the Friday deadline and receipt of all absentee ballots. Election results are certified on Tuesday, November 10.