Top House Republican accuses Virginia elections board of 'working in lockstep' with Democratic legal

Top House Republican accuses Virginia elections board of 'working in lockstep' with Democratic legal efforts

The top Republican in the Virginia House of Delegates on Wednesday accused the state elections board of abandoning its political neutrality by continuing to delay certifying election results while Democrats pursue lawsuits.

“The State Board of Elections exists to be an independent arbiter of our elections, but after the last three days no one could be faulted for questioning the independence of a board that seems to be working in lockstep with legal counsel for the Democratic Party,” Del. Kirk Cox, a Colonial Heights Republican in line to become the next House speaker if Republicans hold the majority, said in a statement Wednesday morning.

“Twice now the board has not just failed to carry out its statutory duty, but has actively delayed in order to allow Democrats to file a third lawsuit.”

James Alcorn, chairman of the State Board of Elections, said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that the board’s duty “is to ascertain the results of the election” and that it intends “to do just that.”

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