Fourth in the line of succession for Virginia governor is statehouse speaker Kirk Cox.

[riversedge]

Someone from Virginia knows more about the line of succession than I do. But interesting tweet(s)



Lachlan Markay
‏Verified account @lachlan

Fourth in the line of succession for Virginia governor is statehouse speaker Kirk Cox.

Cox is the speaker due to a one-seat GOP majority.

It has that majority because Rep. David Yancey won his seat in a coin toss.

It went to a coin toss because that race ended in a tie.

Vote!
10:57 AM - 6 Feb 2019

Link to tweet

29 replies 403 retweets 1,011 likes

‏Verified account @lachlan
1h1 hour ago

Yes yes, they picked a name out of a hat, it wasn't a *literal* coin toss. I reserve the right to employ figures of speech.
6 replies 7 retweets 100 likes

O. Henri
‏ @henkkuli
59m59 minutes ago

Replying to @lachlan

"And that's why you always leave a vote."
0 replies 0 retweets 9 likes

JTGator
‏ @JTGator813
1h1 hour ago

Replying to @lachlan @MEPFuller

"Kids, always vote because the governor of VA was sort of decided by a tied vote."

"What do you mean sort of?"

"Interesting story, actually...."
0 replies 4 retweets 20 likes



Coffeeless in Ottawa
‏ @CoffeelessInOtt
50m50 minutes ago

Replying to @lachlan

Oh for fuck's sake, this is what Yancey's Wikipedia page says:
0 replies 1 retweet 11 likes

Link to tweet

Mike E.
‏ @MWonko42
19m19 minutes ago

Replying to @lachlan

It ended in a tie because somehow an invalid ballot with too many markings on it got counted as a vote for the GOP.
0 replies 0 retweets 4 likes

Link to tweet

Julián Del Real
‏ @Julian_Dorado
28m28 minutes ago

Replying to @lachlan

A tie? Far beyond a coin toss. He did wins with a few more votes. People did vote.
0 replies 0 retweets 2 likes


Whatwhatwhat ‏ @TheOneOutside
9m9 minutes ago

Replying to @lachlan @ParkerMolloy

it went to that because a panel of republican judges permitted a ballot that had been incorrectly filled out to count as a republican vote despite being clearly invalid after the republican lost on final count, so remember...

Never trust the GOP

Link to tweet

[jberryhill]

1. I'll bet the coin was rigged

[maxrandb]

2. It wasn't a coin toss. It was even crazier than that

The two candidates that were tied had their names put on a piece of paper and placed in one of those old 35M black plastic film canisters. The film containers were placed in a bowl and one was pulled out. The candidate whose name was pulled was declared the winner.

Hell of a way to run an election.

[brooklynite]

3. Just as you won't get Trump and Pence out at the same time, resulting in President Pelosi...

You won't get rid of the Gov, Lt. Gov and AG at the same time. There will be an opportunity to appoint replacements.

[onenote]

4. Except Virginia law is kind of weird

Taking them in reverse order:

AG: The law is clear - if the vacancy in the AG office "occurs" while the legislature is in session, the legislature replaces the AG. If the legislature is not is session when the vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a replacement but that replacement only serves until the legislature is back in session and then the legislature can replace the replacement. The legislature currently is scheduled to be in session until February 23 and then to reconvene on April 3, although it may well be within the legislature's power not to adjourn on February 23 and stay in session, blocking the governor from naming even a temporary AG replacement.

LG: It appears that the governor has the power to name a temporary replacement for the LG, but the full remaining term of the LG will be determined through a special election to be held at the time of the next general election, which is November 2019. The one time in recent (June 1971) history that the office of LG became vacant, the governor did not name a temporary replacement but simply allowed the position to remain vacant until the special election the next November.

Gov.: If the Governorship becomes vacant, the LG becomes governor and if there is no LG, then the AG, and if there is no AG, then it is the speaker of the House.

[shanti]

5. This outcome was brought up several days ago here

but almost nobody said a peep about it.