The Demopolis City Council deadlocked on a pair of candidates Thursday that would have filled the expired DCS board of education seat of Bobby Armstead.

The council spent 25 minutes in an executive session that was called to discuss the good name and character of one of the three nominees. When the city’s governing body finally returned to open session, Mayor Mike Grayson motioned the council appoint Conrad Murdock to the seat. Councilmen Bill Meador and Jack Cooley voted along with Grayson in favor of the measure. Thomas Moore, Melvin Yelverton and Mitchell Congress proved dissenting voters, forcing the motion to fail.

Moore then motioned the council appoint Freddie Armstead Jr. to the seat. Moore Yelverton and Congress voted in favor while Meador, Grayson and Cooley voted against the nomination.

Congress motioned in favor of his original nominee, Delores Cunningham. He and Yelverton were the lone votes in favor of that end, which fell 4-2 and sent the council back to square one.

“For lack of an appointment, Mr. Armstead will stay on,” Grayson said, addressing the council. “I encourage the council to come back to the next meeting with a solid nomination we can all agree on.”

The council will once again close the nomination process at its next meeting and attempt to vote in a new board member at the following meeting.

Bobby Armstead is set to roll off the board after serving two five-year terms, the maximum amount allowed.