Is the reason why fewer precincts reported in VA-Sen due to recounting?

[Ignacio Upton]

I'm wondering if this situation is similar to Montana, when Yellowstone County's votes were pulled and taken out of the overall total. Is this going on with VA-Sen?

[originalpckelly]

1. No, they are canvassing and counting provisional ballots:

1. Canvassing: they go through and make sure all the math adds up and no major or minor mistakes were made in the election results.

2. Counting provisional ballots: when someone shows up to vote, but they do not have all their required information for what ever reason, they cast a provisional vote.

In each Congressional District Virginia creates a virtual precinct for all the provisional ballots. This is why you have seen the dramatic drop in precincts reporting. It isn't a real district, just a artificial creation to count provisional ballots.

As the number of precincts reporting increases, you will see the vote total fluctuate by small amounts.

If there was a major flub it might narrow or widen the margin.

That's the straight poop.

[cerebrate2006]

2. VA BOE has added dummy precincts to tabulate provisional ballots

Nothing ominous - they are being used as buckets to keep totals of provional ballots in each district. The ones I've seen so far reporting have added 1 or 2 votes to one or the other candidate. Everything is looking great for the next Senator from VA - Jim Webb

[mhatrw]

3. No. They are have created uncounted "precincts" in each locality

in order to record the uncounted provisional ballots of each locality.

[WatchWhatISay]

4. Exactly what is a provisional ballot?

I am the Alternate Judge in my Texas precinct, and for us provisional ballots are used when it is apparent to the election judge/county election officials that a voter is not qualified to vote. The provisional ballot is really just kind of an appeasement ballot so that the local election judge doesnt have to tell a person that they cannot cast a ballot because they are not qualified. For example if someone insists that they registered to vote, but no proof can be found in the voter regisstrars records of their application or granting of a certificate.

As a result, the chance of a provisional ballot actually being counted is miniscule. The registrars office investigates the situation after the election, but in most cases they will still find that, for one reason or another, the voter wasnt qualified to vote, and their vote won't be counted.