NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Election officials recounted the votes in the 94th district in the House of Delegates Tuesday.
After the votes were recounted, Democrat Shelly Simonds secured victory by one vote. The results still need to be certified by a judge on Wednesday.
Republican David Yancey previously lead Democrat Shelly Simonds by just 10 votes. Simonds requested a recount late last month.
Republicans have a 51-49 advantage in the House of Delegates, so the race was crucial to determining the power dynamic in Richmond.
This victory tips the scales to a 50-50 split to the House. Democrats gained 16 seats in the Nov. 7 election.
The recount happened at City Center.
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez released a statement about the one-vote victory and the shift of power in the general assembly.
“The power of every vote has never been clearer. Just one vote secured Shelly Simonds’ victory and shifted the balance of power in the Virginia House of Delegates, ending a 17-year Republican majority,” he wrote in part. “I want to congratulate Shelly on her historic win, and every volunteer, organizer, and Democratic voter who made this possible. Simply put, every vote counts.”
