by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor
Just seven votes separated the candidates for Blountstown city mayor in last week’s election after six provisional ballots were counted.
Four provisional ballots went to challenger Steve Bailey while incumbent Blountstown Mayor Winston Deason had two provisional ballots, ensuring his lead of 342 over Bailey’s 335.
The election put a new Blountstown City Council member in place when James Griffin secured 456 votes over incumbent David Blair, who had 203 votes.
The Altha mayor’s race was a clear cut one, with incumbent Wes Johnston getting 99 votes to the 33 received by his opponent, Charlie Max Hansford.
In the Calhoun County Commission race, voters kept one incumbent and let another go. Willie T. Grant was reelected to the District 4 seat with 214 votes while opponent Vanessa Dawson had 147 votes and challenger Charles D “Frank” Smith got 70 votes. District 2 incumbent Dan Wyrick lost to challenger Earl Hunt with a difference of 65 votes.
All three school board incumbents kept their jobs.
In District 2, Kelly Edenfield King defeated Joey Peacock 570 to 418.
District 3 School Board member Timothy Smith beat challenger Ted Attaway Sr. 398 to 253.
Danny Hassig Jr. held on to his District 5 seat by a margin of 32, receiving 296 votes to challenger Mark Collier’s 264.
Voters will be asked to make one more Blountstown City Council decision in the Nov. 2 General Election for the Ward 1 position vacated by Phillip Hill. Three candidates have declared their intent to seek that office, including Clifford Jackson, Roy Pickron and Beverly Veress.
Also on the ballot will be the District 2 Calhoun County Commission race with Earl Hunt, Darrell McDougald and Lee Alday.
