Comments on: Mathieson statement on vote certification

By: Brian Kirwin

Brian Kirwin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:10:58 +0000

So was Ollie North.

By: vjp

vjp — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:54:43 +0000

Um, Brian, the SBE told him to report it that way. He was simply following instructions.

By: Brian Kirwin

Brian Kirwin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:11:24 +0000

Does anyone think Mathieson is doing this for any high and mighty reason like “the opportunity to shine a bright light on the electoral process?”

Why can’t his campaign just say “We lost, and under a recount we hope to wind up winning.”

If he was so interested in the electoral process, he could’ve announced his correct cash on hand total throughout the campaign like every other campaign had to. Nope, he got to show a ZERO on every report. He wasn’t interested in shining a bright light on that.

By: James Young

James Young — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:25:02 +0000

Even though contrary to my partisan interests, I can’t disagree with Steve here. Recounts in races with tight margins should not be subject to partisan criticism. Confirmation of the original results are, nevertheless, typical in Virginia, and one reason Virginians can rightly take pride in the general integrity of our electoral system.

By: Steve Vaughan

Steve Vaughan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:27:48 +0000

vjp,
Yeah. I agree. A margin of 14 votes has to be recounted. Although recounts in Virginia very rarely change the outcome — I’m not aware of it ever happening, even in a very close race like this — you’ve got to make sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed.

By: vjp

vjp — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:23:03 +0000

A recount is almost a requirement when the vote total is this close.

By: spotter

spotter — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:52:47 +0000

Well, since the total keeps changing, a recount hardly seems out of order.

By: Mark Brooks

Mark Brooks — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:20:03 +0000

I thought *I* was Spartacus?

I am glad to see Bobby doing this, and for the exact reasons he mentions. Although ‘recounting’ in most of Virginia involves checking the math for the 5th time, it is still an education, and proof that those who actually won actually won.

By: vjp

vjp — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:58:35 +0000

Perhaps you missed the announcement of the indictment last week. (The way such charges work, Mathieson is not the one who "presses charges," by the way.)

By: Spartucus

Spartucus — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:40:16 +0000

So he can spend some more of the people’s money on a recount but what about pressing charges on Jason Robinson? When is that going to happen?