Incumbent mayor Carthel Crout and challenger Dr. Mack Durham will be in a runoff in two weeks that will decide the mayor seat. Durham and Crout were the two top vote getters in a three way race that included former mayor Phillip Clardy. Less than 30 votes separated the three candidates and vote counting came down to absentee and provisional ballots to determine who would make it to the runoff election.
Crout received 419 votes, while Durham had 405 and Phillip Clardy received 390.
Crout received 285 votes in the Williamston City Precinct and 100 from the Mill (Calvary) Precinct, 1 vote at Cedar Grove, 31 Absentee and 2 Provisionals.
Durham had 273 at Williamston City, 108 Mill, 3 Cedar Grove and 21 Absentee and 10 Provisional for a total of 415.
Clardy had 203 City, 147 Mill, 6 Cedar Grove, 31 Absentee and 3 Provisional votes for a total of 390.
Candidates, election commission and poll workers and others interested in the count stayed until all ballots were counted including the provisional ballots, finishing the count around 11 p.m.
Ten provisional ballots were determined to be questionable and will require additional research, however they will not change the runoff results, Election Commission Head Rocky Burgess said.
A runoff will also decide who will serve on the Williamston Town Council Ward 4 seat. Incumbent councilman Mike Looper received 445 votes and challenger, former councilman Otis Scott, received 481, making them the two top vote getters. Political newcomer Elaine Wilson received 244 votes.
Looper won the City precinct with 303 votes and received 109 at the Mill precinct. He had 5 from Cedar Grove, 21 Absentee and 7 Provisional.
Scott received 297 votes in the City precinct, 138 in the Mill precinct, 4 Cedar Grove, 36 Absentee and 6 Provisional.
Wilson received 125 City, 97 Mill, 1 Cedar Grove, 19 Absentee and 2 Provisional.
Councilman David Harvell will retain his Ward 3 seat on council with 694 to challenger Mike Smith’s 451.
Harvell was strong in the City precinct with 439 votes and 202 in the Mill precinct. He had 7 Cedar Grove, 36 Absentee and 8 provisional votes.
Smith received 278 votes in the City precinct, 129 in the Mill, 3 Cedar Grove and 36 Absentee.
The Williamston runoff election to decide who will serve as mayor and on Council Ward 4 will be held Tuesday, Nov. 20.
