Just when it seemed the local elections were behind us, two candidates are calling for recounts in tight races. Democratic school board candidate Jerry Jones Jr. and Democratic incumbent county commissioner Jonathan Barfield Jr. have both requested recounts after finishing just shy of victory.
- Jones trails Republican David Perry by 302 votes in the school board race, a margin small enough to qualify for a recount under state rules. Jones confirmed his request via text message to StarNews.
- Barfield is 244 votes behind Republican Dane Scalise. After initially saying he would not request a recount, Barfield had a change of heart, with local board of elections director Rae Hunter-Havens confirming his formal request to StarNews.
Bottom Line: With these recounts, the drama of the local elections lingers a little longer. It should be noted that recounts rarely, if ever, change outcomes. However, in this case the razor-thin margins have left the candidates hoping for a different result.
