'Nail-Biting' Recount Over Va District 94 Delegate Proves 'Every Vote Counts'

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Delegate-Elect Shelly Simonds speaking with constituents of the 94th Virginia District. (Courtesy of Simonds for Delegate webpage.)

UPDATED: Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m.:

As of now, a recount shows one contested vote, meaning Simonds victory is not yet secure.

Occoquan Democrats Congratulate Delegate-Elect Shelly Simonds of the 94th District. Her win could not have been any closer, and yet it significantly changed the make up of the Virginia House of Delegates, making it an even 50/50 split. 

Submitted by the Occoquan District Democrats 

The Occoquan District Democratic Committee (ODC of Prince William County) congratulated Democratic Candidate Shelly Simonds on her post-election victory.

The victory is a yet-to-be-certified switch of results after a recount was completed in Newport News. Initially, Republican Incumbent David Yancey was the projected winner in light of the November 7 Election Day vote count.

At the time, the difference in votes was only ten. As of today’s recount, Simonds is now winning by just one vote.

“This is not only a victory for Democrats in Newport News or in Virginia, it’s a victory for our electoral process,” said Kenny Boddye, Chair of the Occoquan District Democrats. “It’s a testament to the fact that every vote counts, and that a single voter can determine the course of an election… and the balance of power within a commonwealth.”

With Shelly Simonds’s victory, Virginia Democrats have now won 50 seats in the commonwealth’s lower state legislature. A once-thought-impossible achievement considering Democrats only controlled 34 seats going into November 7th. The judges assigned to the recount have yet to certify the results.

“On behalf of the Occoquan Democratic Committee, I would like to thank Delegate Yancey on his service to the residents of the 94th district, and would like to congratulate Delegate-Elect Simonds on her victory,” Boddye said. “She’ll be in good company alongside Occoquan Delegates-Elect Hala Ayala, Danica Roem, and Luke Torian, along with the rest of the Democratic House Caucus.”

Boddye was elected Chairman of the Occoquan Democratic Committee earlier this month, on December 14th.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that your vote doesn’t matter,” Boddye said. “Just look at this election. Every. Vote. Counts.”

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