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.
A hearing date has not been scheduled.
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438|
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 |