Seesaw attorney general race in Virginia goes to provisional ballots

One week after Election Day, Virginia's seesaw race for attorney general remains undecided as local elections officials continue to certify provisional ballots.

The State Board of Elections has Democrat Mark R. Herring with a 117-vote lead over Republican Mark R. Obenshain, who carried a slight lead over Herring until Monday. Tuesday is the deadline to count provisional ballots, but even when that count is done a recount appears almost certain.

Neither Obenshain nor Herring were giving an inch, with spokesmen for both men confident their candidate would prevail.

Many of the provisional ballots statewide had been counted by Tuesday, but Fairfax County had yet to certify nearly 500 disputed ballots. Election officials said they expected to complete that count by late Tuesday.

The state certifies the election results Nov. 25.