Recount to occur in Spotsylvania Circuit Court clerk's race
Date published: 11/16/2007
By DAN TELVOCK
Spotsylvania County is preparing for the first-ever recount in a local election.
Spotsylvania Circuit Court Clerk Paul Metzger, who lost his re-election bid on Nov. 6, filed a petition for a recount Wednesday.
The race was decided by 63 votes.
Metzger, who has served one term as clerk, lost to Christy Jett, who is currently the clerk of Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
Jett won 7,420 votes to Metzger's 7,357 votes.
"The reason I filed for a recount is because I think since the difference was so slight, 60-odd votes, that I really owe it to the people who were kind enough to support me to resolve this one way or another," Metzger said yesterday.
Jett declined to comment.
Metzger is entitled to a recount paid for by Spotsylvania County taxpayers because the difference in votes cast for the two candidates was less than .50 percent.
The difference between Metzger and Jett was .43 percent.
Spotsylvania County is responsible for paying the cost of the recount if the margin defeat is half of a percent or less. Otherwise, the candidate who requested the recount must pay the cost of the proceedings. Paul Metzger won 7,357 votes to Christy Jett's 7,420, a difference of .43 percent.
A candidate has 10 days after the certification of the votes, which occurred Nov. 8, to request a recount.
Metzger filed his petition in Circuit Court Wednesday.
Spotsylvania Circuit Court Chief Judge Harry T. Taliaferro III and two other judges appointed by the chief justice of Supreme Court of Virginia make up the recount court.
--State Board of Elections
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 11/16/2007
Am I the only one who is thinking...(posted by
lvgrandchildren
, Nov. 16, 2007 11:31 pm)
that possibly Spotsylvania is the Clerk or someone who works in his office who thinks they may lose their job? I previously worked in a law office and I totally agree that the previous Clerk was totally incompetent. But just because Mr. Metzger did a good job doesn't mean it is his job to death. Maybe Christy will have new ideas and plans to make the office even better. No, I don't have any desire to go back to law; it wore me down.
mixed feelings(posted by
1beachbum
, Nov. 16, 2007 6:48 pm)
While I do agree that Mr. Metzger is entitled to a recount, I feel that it should be coming out of his pockets and not ours. However, spotsylvania makes an excellent point, instead of just complaining about it in this forum, if we feel the law needs to change we should petition to have this law modified/changed. Also, I would like to know how much this costs? Any idea out there.
Paul Metzger Saved Us Money(posted by
spotsylvania
, Nov. 16, 2007 5:46 pm)
Before Paul Metzger’s term, the Clerk’s office was an unmitigated disaster. It was months behind on civil and criminal cases, land recordings and other responsibilities. Records were in boxes and virtually nothing done to computerize. Professionals considered it the worst in the state. In fact, the state was about to take it over. In his one term, Paul completely turned things around. The office now uses state-of-the-art technology, is efficient, responsive and timely. It is a show case operation.
Votes decide(posted by
proud2bnspotsy
, Nov. 16, 2007 5:27 pm)
If people were to vote for what the person stands for and their moral charactor instead of their Political Party then there may not have been a need for this recount. Really, does a R or D have a place in county ofice seats? I think not.
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