Just eight votes separate a winner and loser in the Rock Hill Board of Education race, yet there are 11 walk-in votes not counted in that race, Lawrence County Board of Elections deputy director Ella Lawless said.

Saturday, November 06, 1999

Just eight votes separate a winner and loser in the Rock Hill Board of Education race, yet there are 11 walk-in votes not counted in that race, Lawrence County Board of Elections deputy director Ella Lawless said.

Carl Large and Fred Wells led the race for board seats. Jackie Harris took the third board seat with 1,212 votes over Terry Barker’s 1,204.

If nine of those 11 walk-in voters cast ballots for Barker, then he could take the lead – and the board seat – over Mrs. Harris, but only if the two remaining walk-in votes are not for her, Ms. Lawless said.

A walk-in is the term given to a resident who has moved or is now voting in a precinct different from the one in which they registered.

The system is set up so that the voter always votes in the new precinct, but the election board must verify addresses after ballots are cast, Ms. Lawless said.

"We have to make sure they didn’t vote in both or the wrong one," she said.

Workers are currently mailing verification forms, and have not counted the total number of walk-in ballots cast, but it’s not likely that any other political races will be affected, Ms. Lawless said.

The board has 51 walk-in votes for precincts deciding the Ironton Board of Education race, but the closest contender for a board seat is Kathy Kratzenberg at 126 votes shy of victory over Gary Neal.

The Hanging Rock mayor’s race – with Vic Hopper Jr. and incumbent Wayne Pennington separated by only seven votes – might have changed, except there were no walk-in voters.

There were five walk-in voters in Hamilton Township and two in Washington, where close trustee races occurred, but there are not enough ballots to make a difference.

South Point precincts recorded 15 total, but the margin of difference in the levy school board races is too large. And in the council race, David Hamm would need at least 23 votes to beat Buel Collins.

All walk-in votes will be tallied, and added to individual precincts, during the election board’s official count – Nov. 15 at 8:30 a.m.

Results are official and final at that time, and candidates may file a recount request afterwards, Ms. Lawless said.

"A losing candidate can file at $10 per precinct," she said. "We have never had a change on a recount."

Also, the election board has received no official complaints about Tuesday’s results.