NORFOLK, Va. — Election Day 2024 is over, but that doesn’t mean the election itself was over Monday. Multiple Hampton Roads races were eligible for a recount and News 3 learned Monday there will be a recount in at least two of those races.
“If this is what we need to be able to move forward, that’s fine," Norfolk City Council Superward 7 candidate Carlos Clanton said Monday about a recount in his race.
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Clanton was already looking ahead, despite a pending recount.
"One of the first things in the new year is meeting with all the civic leagues. Going in and doing tours of various different concerns and projects that folks have there," said Clanton.
Monday, he and challenger Phillip Hawkins, Jr. were less than one percent apart, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
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“I will be monitoring the process closely," Hawkins, Jr. said about a recount.
On Thursday, News 3 learned Hawkins officially filed for a recount against Clanton.
Candidates in races eligible for a recount have 10 days after the results are certified by local electoral boards, which was Friday, to ask for a recount.
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“I think we’re just at a different time and climate in our society now where people are mixed on leadership in terms of who can do specific things, who can lead," said Hawkins.
In Portsmouth, City Councilman De'Andre Barnes told News 3 Monday he also planned to request a recount. He wasn’t available for an interview, but said he was concerned about the number of provisional ballots discarded because people voted at the wrong precinct.
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The city’s registrar’s office told News 3 that 236 of the 1,377 provisional ballots cast were discarded.
The registrar’s office said while voters can cast a provisional ballot anywhere, if they’re required to vote at their assigned precinct, their provisional ballot won’t be counted if they voted somewhere other than their assigned precinct.
Barnes questions why the discarded ballots couldn’t be sent to the right precinct and counted there.
Suffolk’s mayoral race was also still potentially undecided Monday.
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Mayor Mike Duman and challenger Clint Jenkins were still less than one percent apart.
The day after Election Day, Jenkins told News 3 he hadn’t decided if he would ask for a recount. On Monday, he said he still wasn’t sure.
He did send News 3 the following statement, however, in which he thanked the city's registrar's office.
"I would like to thank and congratulate each Suffolk Mayor candidate for exercising their right to participate in the electoral process. For me, it has been a wonderful experience. It is always fulfilling when the opportunity presents to serve our constituents.
Based on the closeness of the Mayor’s race, it is clear that an overwhelming number of Suffolk citizens want change, controlled growth and other improvements in Suffolk.
I’d like to express my appreciation for the work that the Registers office performed during the election process. I hope my opponents the best in their future endeavors. Currently, I have not made a decision regarding a recount.”
Per Virginia law, the State Board of Elections will certify election results statewide on the first Monday in December.
