Local electoral boards throughout Virginia have now all completed their canvasses, showing Democrat Mark Herring with 106 more votes than Republican Mark Obenshain in a race that is likely heading for a recount.
The results show Herring landing with 1,103,618 votes (49.89 percent) to Obenshain’s 1,103,512 votes (49.88 percent). Virginia law allows for Obenshain to appeal for a recount as his vote total is within 1 percent of Herring’s.
The attorney general’s race is the lone statewide race yet to be settled. Democrat Terry McAuliffe defeated Republican Ken Cuccinelli and Libertarian Robert Sarvis for the governor’s job, while Democrat Ralph Northam defeated Republican E.W. Jackson for the lieutenant governor’s job.
The State Board of Elections must now conduct its own formal review of the results, with certification from that board coming Nov. 25. From that point, Obenshain has a 10-day window to appeal for a recount.
Obenshain released a statement on his Facebook page on Tuesday night. He called the race “the closest statewide election in Virginia history.”
“We owe it to the people of Virginia to make sure we get it right, and that every legitimate vote is counted and subject to uniform rules,” Obenshain said in the statement. “We have seen significant swings in the vote count over the last several days as errors are corrected as a part of the regular canvass process.”
The statement promised further announcements in the coming days.
Herring also released a statement on his website Tuesday night.
“Voters in Virginia have spoken, their voices have been heard and I am honored to have won their votes and their trust to become Virginia’s next Attorney General,” Herring said. “Over the course of the past week, a thorough and extensive process has ensured that every vote has been tallied and accounted for. The margin was close, but it is clear that Virginians have chosen me to serve as the next Attorney General.”
Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Charniele Herring said in a statement “by the final vote count and canvass, it is clear that Attorney General-elect Mark Herring’s principled leadership and dedication to restoring integrity to the Attorney General’s office prevailed over Tea Party Republican Obenshain’s long record of sponsoring and voting for divisive legislation.”
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