BREAKING: Janet Oleszek to Request a Recount

By: Lowell
Published On: 11/14/2007 12:25:11 PM

Janet Oleszek will request a recount in her race against Ken Cuccinelli.  Stay tuned for more details...developing.

Oleszek to Ensure That All Votes are Counted

Out of more than 37,000 votes cast, just 92 votes separate the candidates

FAIRFAX - Janet Oleszek, Democratic candidate for the 37th State Senate District, announced Wednesday that she will ask the Commonwealth to ensure that all Fairfax County votes are counted properly.

The margin of victory between the two candidates was a mere 0.2%, far less than the 0.5 percent figure that triggers a Virginia recount.

"This was a hard fought campaign and it's important that we see the process through.  Every Fairfax resident should know that their vote was counted properly. So, we're following the necessary procedures to make sure that happens," Oleszek said.

Janet also pointed out that it is imperative that members of the military and those living overseas be assured that their vote is being counted correctly.

A formal request to the Commonwealth will be filed in Fairfax County Circuit Court immediately following the State certification of the vote, later this month. 



Comments



Best choice (Doug in Mount Vernon - 11/14/2007 1:27:55 PM)
After 2000, 2004, and the Buchanan-Jennings fiasco in Florida last year, this is clearly the right choice.  They need to recount every single vote and re-tally those machines to be sure that they are correct.  Especially in those precincts like Bull Run and the few Centreville area where, unlike every other precinct in the district, Cooch drastically increased his victory margins over 2003.  Why would there be such outlier precincts where this happens when almost every other precinct in the county saw a drop in Cooch's margins?

Strange...recount to be SURE!



Perhaps (Ben - 11/14/2007 5:24:25 PM)
Because Jim Mitchell lived next to Bull Run precinct, and participated in a number of local events there in 2003?  Maybe he overperformed and Janet's numbers there came back to earth?


Good luck! (TheGreenMiles - 11/14/2007 1:43:57 PM)
Hope things break Janet's way!


Errata (NotAEDickHoward - 11/14/2007 2:14:39 PM)
"The margin of victory between the two candidates was a mere 0.2%, far less than the 0.5 percent figure that triggers a Virginia recount"

Recounts in Virginia aren't triggered by any percentage.  Recounts are triggered by defeated candidates requesting recounts; of course, there's a permissible ceiling percentage above which they cannot ask.

"Janet also pointed out that it is imperative that members of the military and those living overseas be assured that their vote is being counted correctly."

That's an odd reason for a recount because the statute explicitly excludes from recounts absentee ballots that were not counted.  ยง 24.2-802(B).



not a "recount"... (lgb30856 - 11/14/2007 2:15:34 PM)
there is no recounting of the votes. just a retab of the numbers.
the creigh deeds "recount" did not recount every vote. sadly.
they need to frame it as a "retab".
sad state of affairs. maybe the new leg can address this issue.


Maybe (Gordie - 11/14/2007 6:01:58 PM)
Yes the Deeds recount was just taking the tapes from each machine and recounting those, as well as the abentee ballots and any provsional, if any. Just really checking for writing down the correct number or math errors. Janet should have all those tapes already and done her own recount.

Now a judge could over turn the "Attorney General Race recount" and order a complete ballot by ballot recount. That is very unlikely since a pressident was set in the Deed's recount, that would set up for a law suit.

This is what is in the Nelson County Times over a recount between Joe Dan Johnson, D and Larry Saunders, R over a 3 vote difference, won by Joe Dan.

"Virginia law says the Chief Judge of Nelson's Circuit Court, Samuel Johnston Jr., will direct the recount with two other judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia".



Nope (NotAEDickHoward - 11/15/2007 1:33:38 PM)
"That is very unlikely since a pressident was set in the Deed's recount, that would set up for a law suit."

It's even more unlikely because it's expressly forbidden by the recount statute.



Its more like a "re-canvas" (hereinva - 11/14/2007 8:30:06 PM)
If the re-count is like the Deeds recount in 2005, it was a matter of re-reading the tapes and checking for transcription errors. Still can find errors.

Cuccinelli sent out his re-count fund raiser letter:

"As I rush you this critically urgent appeal, the Democratic Party of Virginia has their top lawyers scheming on ways to disqualify Republican votes so that Ms. Oleszek can take this election away from us.

You see, they really don't want me in the Senate. They know that I will be their most determined opponent. I'll expose their liberal schemes, open the closed doors and tell you what's really going on in Richmond."

(the words in bold were bolded and underlined in the original letter dated November 9)



One wonders (PM - 11/14/2007 9:50:51 PM)
how much fundraising ends up finding its way into the pockets of "representatives" like Cuccinelli.