Race between Kimberly Pope Adams, incumbent GOP Del. Kim Taylor currently decided by just 78 votes
Kimberly Pope Adams, the Democratic candidate in a central Virginia House of Delegates race that remains uncalled by The Associated Press, is seeking a recount.
Adams said in a statement Thursday that the election results, which show just 78 votes separating Adams and GOP incumbent Kim Taylor, "are far too close for anyone to declare outright victory."
"The people of the 82nd House District deserve to know with absolute certainty who is the winner of this race and Virginia law affords them that right. For that reason, I am seeking a recount of the vote," Adams said.
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Taylor, who has served in the House since 2022, previously declared victory. The competitive 82nd District covers Petersburg, Surry County and parts of Prince George and Dinwiddie counties.
In an aerial view, the Virginia State Capitol is shown on July 12, 2023 in Richmond, Virginia. The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest elected legislative body in North America, beginning as the House of Burgesses in 1619. The current Capitol building was designed by Thomas Jefferson and its cornerstone was placed in 1785. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The outcome of the race won't have implications for the balance of power in the House. Democrats secured a narrow majority on Election Day and are on track to have either 51 or 52 seats in the 100-seat chamber come January.
Virginia doesn’t have automatic recounts. Candidates can request, and pay for, recounts if the margin between the top two candidates is 1 percentage point or less. Recounts are paid for by the government if the margin is less than 0.5 percentage points.
The AP will not call the race until the recount is complete.
