A public hearing was held in Atlantic Beach to validate the challenged ballots cast on Tuesday. Now, the Atlantic Beach results have been certified and the final counts are in.
At Thursday's public meeting votes were examined by the election commission and additional votes were awarded to some candidates.
Here is the final vote count
- Paul Curry: 5
- Josephine Isom: 35 (includes 3 additional votes)
- Charlene Taylor: 43 (includes 4 additional votes )
- Windy Price: 64 (includes 24 additional votes )
- Carolyn Cole: 52 (includes 24 additional votes)
The votes have been certified by the Atlantic Beach Town Council, however, both Charlene Taylor and Josephine Isom tell News13 that they plan to appeal today's vote count.
“I don't see what the strength of her protest would be about the voters speaking when we are so concerned as taxpayers about why she sat on the council for all these years and did not see fit to follow the state law and have this town audited and give us the results to show us how our money was being spent,” said Cole, speaking about Taylor.
39 votes from Tuesday’s election were challenged by election officials.
The votes were brought by police into the Atlantic Beach community center this morning.
Each vote was discussed as election officials debated whether they should count.
The challenged votes that were approved helped Price and Cole pick up 24 additional certified votes to win seats on town council.
“It was an experience like none before,” said Price.
Suspended mayor Retha Pierce's vote was challenged by candidate Paul Curry, but her vote was accepted.
If the three candidates who did not win the election protest the race, a special public hearing will be held within the next 48 hours to give the candidates the opportunity to explain why they are protesting the election.
Election commission manager Alice Graham says that hearing would most likely happen on Saturday.
Count on News13 and scnow.com for continued updates to this race.
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