Emily Featherston
Deputy City Clerk Wendy Dickerson reads the votes on four provisional ballots from the Aug. 23 municipal election.
The Vestavia Hills City Council met at a special meeting Tuesday to officially canvass the votes from the Aug. 23 municipal election.
While most of the races showed a clear winner on the night of the election, City Clerk Rebecca Leavings, who also served as the Election Manager, said it is required by Alabama law to wait one full week before officially declaring a winner in a municipal race.
This allows any provisional ballots submitted on election day to be reviewed by the Board of Registrars, and in the event of a close race, potentially alter the results.
Provisional ballots are submitted by individuals that are not on the voter registration list, but believe they are qualified to vote.
In the Aug. 23 election, 25 provisional ballots were submitted, and the Board of Registrars approved four, meaning those results had to be read aloud at Tuesday's meeting and officially added to the results.
The additional ballots changed the results to the following:
- Mayor: Ashley Curry - 3,715 (+3) | Butch Zaragoza - 2,772 (+1)
- Place 1: John Henley - 2,920 (+1) | Rusty Weaver - 3,291 (+3)
- Place 2: Kim Benos - 2,730 (+1) | Kimberly Cook - 3,609 (+3)
- Place 3: Steve Ammons - 2,334 (+1) | Paul Head - 2,549 (+3) | Robert De Buys - 1,420
- Place 4: Bob Elliot - 2,082 (+1) | George Pierce - 4,113 (+3)
The council voted to approve the resolution confirming the results, including Ammon's withdrawal from the race.
Ashley Curry, Kimberly Cook and Rusty Weaver were present at the meeting, and current mayor Butch Zaragoza congratulated them and George Pierce on their victories.
"We wish you well," he said.
