DEMOPOLIS – Freddie Charleston and Charles E. Jones Sr. have apparently edged out incumbent Willard “Peanut” Williams in the District

2 race for the city council.

Charleston was the top vote getter in the race with 173 votes to Jones’ 137. Williams was just 10 votes below Jones with 127 votes.

A number of issues at the District 2 polling place came up during the day, including a jammed voting machine – issues that were quickly resolved during the day, said City Clerk Vickie Taylor.

Those issues also involved challenged ballots and absentee ballots as well.

In all 13 ballots were challenged, meaning that the voters either failed to provide proper identification as required by law in the absentee ballot, the affidavit was not properly signed, witnessed or notarized, or if a person was voting out of district.

Of the 13 challenged ballots in the district, Charleston was awarded four votes and 27 absentee ballots, Jones received 7 challenge votes and no absentees and Williams picked up two challenge votes and three absentees.

City Clerk Vickie Taylor said it would be up to a candidate to challenge the results of the race with the canvassing autority – in this case the city council.

By law a candidate has 48 hours to challenge the outcome of an election.

Reached by phone following the vote tally, Williams said challenge that outcome was a possibility.

“I’m thinking real hard about it and will talk to my attorney and check out the legalities on it,” he said. “With the problems we were already having with absentees, I don’t feel very good about [the election],” he said.