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.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
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).
Having 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?
Doesn’t really matter, does it? It will be short term, with an election soon – maybe November.
Didn’t Holley have family or someone close who could have saved him this embarrassment? Oy.
Nope. 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.