
DATE: Wednesday, November 5, 1997           TAG: 9711051107

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A3D  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   72 lines

WILLIAMS GETS 8-VOTE WIN; GRAEBER ASKS FOR RECOUNT

Eight votes carried Democrat Don Williams to an apparent victory Tuesday night in the 86th House District race, one of the tightest in recent memory.

Those eight votes also apparently helped Democrats retain control of the House of Delegates in an otherwise clean sweep for the GOP.

Williams' opponent, Beverly `Bev' Graeber, did not concede defeat and called for a recount. Under state law, an automatic recount is now required, and the cost will be covered by the city because the difference was less than one half of 1 percent of the votes cast. Tuesday night's numbers included absentee ballots.

``I feel I'm a winner,'' Graeber said from her home on Tuesday. ``Don't forget. I wasn't just running against my opponent. I was running against the speaker of the House, and I feel I can still win. I'm not conceding anything.''

She was referring to Tom Moss, who campaigned vigorously for and contributed to Williams' campaign.

``I truly believe that it will go the way it's meant to be and right now I am not conceding in any way,'' she added.

The count was an unofficial election night tally. The official count may not be known for several days, according to Norfolk election officials.

The Democratic Party Tuesday night seemed to be holding onto the House by the narrowest of margins. The Senate is already evenly split between the two major parties, and the balance of power shifted to the GOP on Tuesday when John H. Hager won the lieutenant governor's seat. The lieutenant governor casts a vote in the Senate to break any ties.

Williams was claiming victory last night, with 2,473 votes to Graeber's 2,465.

``It's done by machines,'' Williams said of Norfolk's voting system, ``and it's not like you open a bunch of ballot boxes and count them out again. We're confident it's a victory. . . . And when George Heilig passed away, there was an element to do this for George. And so we did it for George. George is looking down smiling.''

Williams, a Norfolk planning commissioner, was the Democrats' choice to replace 25-year veteran, Del. George H. Heilig Jr., who decided not to run for re-election and picked Williams as his heir. Heilig died of a heart attack in September.

Williams is a political newcomer, a friend of the building industry and a Democrat whose simple campaign pledged ``better schools; safer streets.''

The state Republican Party had focused much energy and money on Graeber.

The race was one of the muddiest in the state, with Graeber, 61, accusing Williams, 55, of not paying taxes and Williams accusing Graeber of raising taxes while serving on a borough council in New Jersey.

In the end, unofficial numbers indicated that Williams' popularity in Ocean View overcame Graeber's power base on the 86th District's west side. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Don Williams

Graphics

WILLIAMS 50%

GRAEBER 50%

(Williams won by 8 votes)

WILLIAMS' PRIORITIES

Education: Wants to reduce class size, emphasize the basics,

bring more computers in the classroom and emphasize vocational

education for students.

Public safety: Supports new laws to keep child molesters locked

up after their criminal sentences expire and wants stiffer penalties

for drug dealers.