NORFOLK, Va. — Hearings for recounts have been set in two cities after tight election results.
In Portsmouth, an 11-way race for three seats on City Council left Yolanda Thomas, Kathryn Bryant and William Dodson Jr. as the three apparent winners. However, incumbent De’Andre Barnes is only 21 votes behind Dodson’s total. A hearing on the recount has been set for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Portsmouth Circuit Court, courtroom 5.
For the Superward 7 seat in Norfolk, Carlos J. Clanton emerged on top in a five-way race. He bested his closest competitor, Phillip Hawkins Jr., by 92 votes. A hearing in that recount could take place at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Norfolk Circuit Court, but Hawkins' attorney, Amina Matheny-Willard, still awaits confirmation, she said Monday night.
According to Virginia state code section 24.2, the candidate apparently defeated has the privilege of asking for a recount if the difference between that candidate and the apparent winner is less than 1% of the total votes cast for those two candidates.
When the difference is less than 0.5%, the state pays the costs associated with the recount.
If the difference is between 0.5% and 1%, the petitioning candidate pays for the costs of the recount, unless they come out ahead after the recount.
