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DEL.ICIO.USProvisional ballots may decide Cherokee GOP runoff
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a night where the candidates’ fortunes seemed to shift by the minute, Sean Jerguson held off Mary Wilhite by 35 votes in the Republican runoff for the state House District 22 seat.
But Wilhite is not ready to concede defeat in the hotly contested Cherokee County contest.
Jerguson, a construction business owner from Holly Springs, received 50.5 percent of the vote to Wilhite’s 49.5 percent.
Official results will not be released until Friday after provisional ballots are counted, according to the Cherokee County Board of Elections.
“The provisionals could make a difference,” said Janet Munda, supervisor of elections.
If the difference is within 1 percent, either candidate can request a recount in writing within two business days, Munda said.
Candidates cannot request a recount if it’s more than 1 percent, she added.
In addition, Dave Baldwin, Wilhite’s campaign treasurer, raised concerns about voter irregularities at polling places in Holly Springs.
He said he heard reports that some people were not allowed to vote because they did not have photo IDs, which are not required.
Munda said she had not heard of irregularities. She said voters can show one of 17 forms of identification at the polls.
Jerguson, who labeled himself as “the conservative Republican in this race,” will face Democrat Kevin Bailey in the November elections, if his victory holds.
“We’re just humbled that the voters of this district have chosen us to represent them,” Jerguson said. The race between Jerguson, 34, and Wilhite, 47, was also tight in the July 18 primary.
Wilhite won that contest by 59 votes.
Wilhite is working to become the first African-American Republican woman elected to the state House. In 2004, Wilhite lost to Rep. Chuck Scheid of Woodstock in a runoff.
Jerguson served as council member and acting mayor of Holly Springs from 2002 to 2004. This was his second time running for the House.
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