Final election results change little

From Enterprise Staff

Eighty-seven provisional ballots cast locally in the Nov. 8 general election were reviewed by the Polk County Ballot Board Tuesday, not changing the outcome, but just garnering additional votes for the candidates. The Livingston ISD board of trustees election and a bond issue election in the Corrigan-Camden ISD were the only local races on the docket. A ballot is considered provisional when there is some question about a voter’s eligibility.

A little over 41% of the registered voters in Polk County voted in the Nov. 8 general election, a much higher percentage than usual.

In the Livingston ISD school board race, eight people, two of them incumbents, were vying for four spots on the board. Marty Drake and Kevin Wooten were the incumbents seeking reelection to the board. The two other seats were open. Following several terms on the board, Ben Ogletree III did not seek reelection. Krissa Bass Humphries resigned from the board in August and Alex Garcia was appointed to fill the unexpired term but did not opt to run for election to the board.

The other six people running were Andrew Boyce, Kevin Grimm, Chris Moehlmann, John Whiteside, Cynthia Rios Thomas and Mandi Murphy Pipes.

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Unofficial vote totals election night reflected Pipes, Wooten, Boyce and Grimm the victors with Pipes receiving 3,608 votes (19.33%), Wooten receiving 2,595 votes (13.90%), Boyce receiving 2,483 votes (13.30%) and Grimm receiving 2,376 votes (12.73%). Drake received 2,372 votes (12.71%), Thomas received 2,234 votes (11.97%), Moehlmann received 2,036 votes (10.91%) and Whiteside received 964 votes (5.16%).

With there being only four votes difference between Grimm and Drake, the ballot board’s decision regarding the 87 votes was crucial as it could potentially change the outcome of the school board election.

The official results following the ballot board meeting resulted in additional votes for all eight candidates although not enough to change the outcome of the election.

Official vote totals reflect Pipes, Wooten Boyce and Grimm the winners with Pipes receiving 3,623 votes (19.35%), Wooten receiving 2,600 votes (13.88%), Boyce receiving 2,490 votes (13.30%) and Grimm receiving 2,383 votes (12.72%). Drake received 2,378 votes (12.70%), Thomas received 2,245 votes (11.99%), Moehlmann received 2,041 votes (10.90%) and Whiteside received 967 votes (5.16%).