7:54 Final numbers: 10,821 voted in favor of recall, 5,154 against. I can guess what the headlines will look like tomorrow.
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7:47 pm All but the provisional ballots and one precinct are in. 10,331 voted in favor of recall, 4,987 voted against. The total votes cast – 15,318 – exceeded the total number of votes cast in the 2008 mayoral election – 11,416. Now, had those people voted two years ago, it’s possible we wouldn’t even be here today. Turnout so far is 25%, which is a higher percentage than turned out for Norfolk’s elections this past May.
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7:42 pm By the way, for those following along at home – the Portsmouth website is providing results faster than the SBE website.
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7:38pm – 23 of 32 precincts in. Vote is 8,071 in favor (69.45%) to 3,549 (30.54%) against. Have to admit that I’m surprised that the turnout was this high. Yes, there has been a lot in the paper about the election but still. There are 61,376 registered voters in Portsmouth.
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7:29pm – almost 66% of precincts in. About 71% in favor of recall.
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7:21pm – 50% of the precincts in. The margin is narrowing but still over 71% voted for recall.
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It’s 7:18pm. The polls in Portsmouth have been closed for less than 20 minutes. A little less than 1/3 of the precincts have reported. The vote to recall Portsmouth mayor James Holley is roughly 78% in favor, 22% against.
I don’t see how he survives. Holley will be the first to be recalled twice.
With 27 of 32 precincts in, recall is winning with 70% of the vote.
There’s a precinct in Cavalier Manor (Holley’s stronghold) still out, but it looks like two are left in Churchland (where Holley fared badly in May, 2008).
Posted by Henry Ryto | Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 7:42 pmHaving been originally appointed to my subcommittee chairmanship at HRT by then-TDCHR Chairman Holley, I’ve tried to say as little as possible publicly about this fiasco. I didn’t want to appear to be a backstabber.
However, the more this saga went on, the more detached from political reality that Dr. Holley looked. The size of the victory for recall should send a sharp message.
Now comes the really amusing part: the Portsmouth City Council needing to appoint an interim Mayor. Remember that a candidate would need 4 of 6 votes. Who can pass that measure?
Posted by Henry Ryto | Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 8:08 pmDoesn’t really matter, does it? It will be short term, with an election soon – maybe November.
Posted by vjp | Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 9:01 pmDidn’t Holley have family or someone close who could have saved him this embarrassment? Oy.
Posted by MB | Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 8:18 pmNope. He wouldn’t listen. Plus, there were some folks encouraging him to stay on.
To be honest, though, I’m surprised at both the turnout (26%) and the margin. I thought it might be a bit closer.
Posted by vjp | Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 9:03 pm