Yes, Virginia, Every Vote Does Count

 

This is What’s Trending Today…

There is a saying in America that “every vote counts.” On Tuesday, in the U.S. state of Virginia, the saying appeared to come true.

There were 23,215 votes cast in the city of Newport News on Election Day last month. Voters were choosing between David Yancey and Shelly Simonds as their representative to the Virginia House of Delegates.

Yancey held a small lead of 10 votes going into the recount on Tuesday. After five hours of re-examining ballots², election officials announced the results: 11,608 votes for Simonds and 11,607 votes for Yancey.

By just one vote, Shelly Simonds, a Democrat³, appeared to defeat a three-term Republican incumbent⁴ David Yancey. Simonds’ victory would mean Republicans and Democrats⁵ now have equal power in the Virginia House of Delegates. The Republican Party has controlled the house for the last 17 years.

“We’re now 50-50,” Virginia’s Governor Terry McAuliffe told The Associated Press. “And we won it by one vote. Don’t tell me that every vote doesn’t count.”

Not so fast.

Virginia law requires the recount to be approved by a panel of judges. On Wednesday, the panel found that one questionable⁶ ballot¹ should be counted for Republican David Yancey. That would mean both Yancey and Simonds had 11,608 votes each.

“The court declares there is no winner in this election,” Judge Bryant Sugg said.

In the case of a tie in a House race, Virginia law says the winner will be chosen by what is known as a coin toss.

And that’s What’s Trending Today.

Words in This Story

incumbent - adj. holding an office or position

panel - n. group of people with skill, knowledge and experience to make decision

coin toss - n. a practice of throwing a coin in the air while calling "heads" or "tails" to decide on a winner or a decision

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

2 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。