Special Election Date Set for Wittman's House Seat
By: Lowell
Published On: 12/21/2007 4:39:02 PM
According to the Washington Post, Gov. Kaine "today called for a special election Feb. 19 to fill the House of Delegates seat vacated after Robert J. Wittman, a Republican from Westmoreland County, was elected to Congress." Assuming that Albert Pollard runs for the seat he held until 2005, it looks like the Democrats will have a great chance to increase their House of Delegates seats to 45 out of 100. That would still be a ways to go, but getting closer!
Comments
Off topic for this post but I wasn't sure when I should post it: (Timothy Watson - 12/21/2007 5:38:16 PM)
Kaine names commission to study climate improvement:
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/...
Not sure when I should ask this... (elevandoski - 12/21/2007 6:52:49 PM)
I heard that Sen.-elect Chap Petersen was introducing a Virginia Clean Future Act?!? Anybody know more?
http://www.fairfaxsenator.com/...
Why isn't Chap on this commission?
A week after the primary? (Johnny Longtorso - 12/21/2007 9:26:30 PM)
How is that allowed? I thought elections had to be at least 30 days apart.
If the same machines are used (Ingrid - 12/22/2007 12:45:06 AM)
then they have to wait 30 days. But not if paper ballots are used, I was told...
It's been done before. (Randy Klear - 12/22/2007 12:54:19 AM)
In 2001 there was a special election to replace Norman Sisisky in the 4th CD a week after the June primary for lieutenant governor/attorney general. My wife worked a poll in Portsmouth on primary day and said a number of disgruntled Republicans came out of the polling place wondering why the ballot only had Democrats on it.
Virginia Statute on Scheduling Special Elections -- (JSG - 12/22/2007 9:36:01 AM)
ยง 24.2-682. Times for special elections.
A. Notwithstanding any charter or special act to the contrary, the following provisions govern the times for holding special elections. Every special election shall be held on a Tuesday. No special election shall be held within the sixty days prior to a general or primary election. No special election shall be held on the same day as a primary election. A special election may be held on the same day as a general election.
Special Election (tvhost - 12/22/2007 9:40:50 AM)
I don't understand much about this but in the press release i saw Governor Kaine said he wanted to have the special election soon because he wanted someone in there to represent the district during the 2008 Assembly session... If my Math is right the session will be half over by the time the election is over. Who ever gets elected will not be able to do to much for this district.
Representation (Ingrid - 12/22/2007 1:00:39 PM)
I agree that not much can be accomplished, but at least the constituents will have representation.
Half is better than none (Johnny Longtorso - 12/22/2007 1:00:45 PM)
Plus, Albert Pollard has experience in the legislature, so he won't need time to get oriented.
Feb 19th is pretty late in the game. (Randy Klear - 12/23/2007 1:28:45 AM)
It's after crossover and well after the deadline for submitting new bills, so Pollard won't be in much of a position to push or affect legislation. The big deal here is that he will be in office in time for the budget votes, which tend to overshadow everything else at the end.
Even bigger deal is he will be the incumbent in 2009. (Tom Counts - 12/23/2007 8:33:15 AM)
And adds a "D"! (elevandoski - 12/23/2007 9:24:39 AM)