99th HOD coverage

From The Free Lance-Star: GOP sets process for candidate in 99th:

Gov. Tim Kaine has not yet set a date for the special election in the 99th House of Delegates District, but Republicans have planned their nomination process.

District chairwoman Carol Dawson said the district’s Republicans will choose a nominee on Jan. 12, in a convention.

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Dawson said the Republican convention will likely be held at the high school in Montross, and that between now and Jan. 12 each locality’s Republican committee will have to hold meetings to select delegates.

The district includes all of the Northern Neck and parts of Caroline County.

Wittman held the seat since 2005, when former Del. Albert Pollard Jr. retired.

Pollard narrowly lost a bid for the 28th District state Senate seat in November, and says he is running for his old House seat.

Pollard said the Democratic Party’s bylaws don’t allow them to plan their nomination method until Kaine officially calls the election.

Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey said that while staffers are working on that, it hasn’t been done yet.

Choosing a date for the 99th District election is a bit tricky. State law prohibits holding an election in the 60 days before a primary, and both parties are having presidential primaries on Feb. 12.

That makes the earliest possible date for a 99th District election Feb. 19.

That leaves the 99th District without a delegate for the bulk of the legislative session, which begins in January. Kaine said it’s unlikely there would be special legislation to try to move up the date, and that if a delegate is elected Feb. 19 he or she would still have time to be sworn in and participate in the last few weeks of the session, including debate and votes on the state budget.

Pollard is the only Democratic candidate so far. On the Republican side, White Stone attorney Lee Anne Washington is seeking the nomination.

She is a member of the White Stone Town Council and the citizen member of the Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Authority.

A few names of other possible Republican candidates have been floated–former King George County Supervisor Bob Barlow is one, although other sources say he may not run.

Republican candidates will have to file with Dawson by Jan. 1 and pay a $250 filing fee.