The Post Online - Wilkie defeats Powell for mayor of Centre; runoff in Cedar Bluff

Aug. 28, 2008

Wilkie defeats Powell for mayor of Centre; runoff in Cedar Bluff

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.

In Cedar Bluff, one candidate for mayor said he plans to challenge the results of his election because of irregularities with absentee ballots.

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 in during a ceremony scheduled for Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. at Centre City Hall on East Main Street.

In Cedar Bluff, multiple candidates for mayor and four of the five council seats means the top two vote-getters in each race will compete in a runoff on Oct. 7.

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

On Thursday, Wallace told The Post he may challenge the final tally in his race and at least one other race after all ballots are counted Tuesday.

"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."

Wallace said he fears that dozens of absentee ballots were incorrectly distributed by town officials. He said the town's mistake was unintentional but should be fixed because ballots may have been altered before they were returned.

In District 1, Councilwoman Billie Burkhalter will face Centre attorney Evan Smith. Former mayor Donald Sanders and retired teacher Lenora 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.