Virginia recount, 3 judge panel strikes a blow against democracy

All eyes on 9 precincts in recount of AG race

Deeds, in recent weeks, tried to get as many ballots as possible counted individually. McDonnell fought the strategy, arguing that the handling of ballots could lead to human error. He urged judges to simply add the tape totals from the machines.

Last week, judges rejected Deeds' request that 500,000 paper-based ballots be re run through tabulating machines. On Monday, they nixed Deeds' motion that about 104,000 ballots be individually counted from precincts in which the number of people who cast votes for attorney general was at least 3 percent less than the number who voted for governor. Deeds argued that the drop in votes suggested that ballots in the attorney general's race may not have been counted.

Instead, the judges agreed to order manual recounts only in instances where voting machine malfunctions could be proved.

In one precinct in Lynchburg, a few pens supplied to fill boxes on paper ballots failed to register on tabulators, resulting in 244 votes not being counted. The judges ordered all 1,389 ballots cast in the precinct to be recounted by hand.

Yeah, who wants those human errors when you can automate them.

Creigh Deeds is still fighting to have our votes counted; to all those who have supported him the past thank you. To all those who want a Democrat to fight for the ballot, support Creigh Deeds.