CENTRE — Voters overwhelmingly elected newcomer Sid Garrett to the Centre City Council on Tuesday, while new mayor Tony Wilkie won by a very narrow margin. 

Garrett was the top vote-getter among 14 candidates for the seven-seat Centre City Council. In a format where each candidate can receive up to seven votes, Garrett had 855. The next closest was Councilman Frankie Kelley at 741. 

Other newcomers who made the cut were Joe Hall (460 votes), who served on the council earlier this decade, and Phillip Roberts (497). Kelley, Harry Moon (714), Bess Yarborough (601) and Glenn Chandler (443) maintained their seats.

Councilwoman Rita Stubbs Stover (342) was among those not reelected. 

Former City Councilman Tony Wilkie was successful in his bid to unseat three-term mayor Phil Powell by only 21 votes – 441 to 419. Wilkie and the council members will be sworn during a ceremony scheduled for Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. at Centre City Hall on East Main Street.

Vote challenge Cedar Bluff and other results

The Post has learned that three candidates on the municipal election ballot on Aug. 28 plan to challenge the results because of concerns over the possible mishandling of absentee ballots.

On Thursday, mayoral candidate Jimmy Wallace told The Post was considering a challenge to the final tally in his race and two other contests.

"It's not about me or whether I won or lost," Wallace said. "I just care that there are still people trying to work the absentee ballot system in Cedar Bluff."

Centre attorney Shane Givens confirmed on Friday that District 1 Councilwoman Billie Jean Burkhalter and District 2 candidate Lenora McWhorter will join Wallace as plaintiffs on a petition to challenge the election.

Wallace said dozens of absentee ballots were incorrectly distributed by town officials in the weeks before the election and may have been altered before they were returned. He said a judge might rule to count the ballots, toss them out, or even order a new election.

Town officials announced Friday afternoon that the possible mishandling of absentee ballots will be discussed at a special meeting set for Tuesday at 11:45 a.m.

"We will be at the meeting Tuesday morning," Givens said.

In the race for mayor, two-term councilwoman Ethel Sprouse received 163 votes. Steve Lay received 138. Wallace (122) and Dale Reese (42) were the other mayoral candidates. 

In District 1, Burkhalter will face Centre attorney Evan Smith. Former mayor Donald Sanders and McWhorter made the runoff for District 2, and current mayor Martha Baker and Jack Bonds will face off in District 3. In District 4, Tammy Grace Crane will face Mark Hicks.

District 5 councilwoman Leatha Harp faced no opposition. 

In Leesburg Billy Ransum, Tony Chandler and Diane Tillery won contested elections for seats on the town council. Brandy Pierce and Wayne Byrum were elected without opposition. 

None of candidates in Gaylesville’s municipal election faced opposition. Elizabeth Stafford was elected mayor. Council members are Gay Simpson, Tina Rowland, April Watwood Givens, Jean Watwood and Tommy Storey. 

In the Sand Rock mayor’s race, Bill Glenn, Jr. received 98 votes to Thomas Roan’s 37. Council members Rickey Mackey, George “Bud” Mackey, Isaac T. Brock, Saprina Oliver and Julia Smith ran unopposed.