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The Republican Party of Virginia filed a petition, Monday Nov. 27, to contest the election on the basis of fraud or other irregularities.
State law provides for a candidate to request a recount, and “Marshall Coleman has the right to do that,” said Lawrence H. Framme III, chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia. However, he said, a contest is “far different” and “challenges the basic integrity of the Virginia election process. ”
Though the appropriateness of an election contest will not be known until after a recount, said Republican officials, state law required that a petition for contest be filed by Nov. 27. GOPs declined to relate any specific examples of election mishandlings until after the recount is complete.
“We are investigating the various reports of irregularities, and we may have more to say about them in the future,” said William H. Hurd, Republican state treasurer. “We do not think any useful purpose would be served by questioning the integrity of the election based on rumors and reports that may or may not have substance.”
However, Michael Salster, GOP communications director indicated that the party could substantiate itd their claim if necessary.
“We have sufficient evidence to believe there were irregularities.”
Framme contends that the move for a contest has solely political motivation and is merely an attempt by the Republicans to draw attention from the GOP’s tax delinquency problem. The Republicans announced last Friday, Nov. 24 that a bookkeeper had failed to pay nearly a quarter of a million dollars in federal employee withholding taxes, including penalties and interest over more than a year.
In a letter to party officials last week which acknowledged the tax problems, state GOP Chairman Donald Huffman said the state committee had voted in August to keep the matter secret until after the election to avoid tainting the Republican candidates for state office.
Salster said the contest could result in entire precincts being wiped out as invalid and possibly a new election. Framme insisted the possibility of a new election is zero since, he said, there were not significant irregularities in the election process.
The inauguration of the new governor is scheduled for Jan. 13.
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