Balance of Power in Virginia State Legislature to Be Determined 'By Lot'

Chance, in the form of a coin toss or another 50/50 method, will now decide if Republicans will maintain control of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Republican incumbent Del. David Yancey and Democrat Shelly Simonds each have 11,608 votes from the November 2017 election for Virginia's 94th District, the Washington Postreports.

The tie was not the reality a day prior when, following a recount, Simonds was called the winner. Virginia House Republicans explained that a ballot, which was originally not counted for Yancey, was determined Wednesday to count for the GOP delegate.

"During the recount, election officials were presented with an overvote," said a statement from House GOP leaders Kirk Cox, Tim Hugo and Nick Rush. "One Republican official, and a recount observer, believed at the time the ballot was a clear vote for Delegate David Yancey. However, a Democratic official persuaded the Republican official to not count the ballot. This morning, the Republican official wrote a letter to the recount court explaining that he made the wrong decision yesterday, and that he believes the ballot should count for Delegate Yancey."

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