Update: Cobb certifies Smyrna election results, Ward 7 candidate seeks recount

UPDATE NOV. 15: City council candidate Vic Yankouski has requested a recount of the Cobb Board of Elections official and complete results for Smyrna's Ward 7. He is requesting the recount because the difference between the number of votes received by a Garry Osborne, a candidate declared elligible for a runoff, and the number of votes received by Yankouski was less than one percent of the total votes cast.

The runoff will take place Friday, Nov. 18 at 9 a.m. by the Cobb Board of Elections who will return the recertified results at a special meeting at a 11:30 a.m.

ORIGINAL STORY NOV.14: The Cobb County Board of Elections has certified last Tuesday’s results, but for some Smyrna city council candidates the race is far from over. There are three runoff elections scheduled for Dec. 6 and one tight race is still being contested.

It was a close race in Ward 1 with incumbent council member Melleny Pritchett securing 207 votes to her opponent’s 204 votes. John Miller indicated that he will exercise his right to a recount.

“I’m going to request for one,” he said. “I have two business days to request one. You’d hate to take this thing as far as we have and not see this all the way through. It would be a tough thing to look back on.”

The results for three of Smyrna’s other wards are still up in the air as well as Wards 4, 5 and 7 are facing runoff elections. Ward 4 incumbent council member Mike McNabb will face off against Charles “Corkey” Welch. On Monday, Welch thanked his supporters for their votes on Smyrna-Vinings Patch.

“If anyone would like to discuss issues with me in person, I will be happy to meet with you and do so,” he said. “I will also be available by phone during the evenings and on weekends (…) If you need an application for an absentee ballot I will deliver to your home.”

Welch’s opponent was in the news this weekend talking to The Marietta Daily Journal about Smyrna’s soon-to-be-open biodiesel plant. McNabb spoke about advocating for federal grant money for the plant.

In Ward 5, Jason Saliba earned 205 votes in the Nov. 8 election, but failed to clinch the 50 percent plus 1 vote needed to win the contest outright. He will again run against his opponent Susan Wilkinson in the December runoff.

“I'm happy my friends and neighbors came out and voted,” Saliba said. “Grateful I'm in the runoff, but we've got a lot of work to do. Looking forward to seeing all of them again and getting to know the few I may have missed the first round.”

Wilkinson told Smyrna-Vinings Patch that she was pleased to learn she’d made it to the runoff.

“I was excited, but I would have liked it to have not gone into a runoff,” she said. “I think everybody is probably ready for the elections to be over. But it's exciting, though.”

Voters in Ward 7 may get one more chance to hear from their candidates Ron Fennel and Garry Osborne before the runoff. Ziad Salameh, former Ward 7 candidate, told Smynra-Vinings Patch that some residents are trying to organize another candidate forum before the election.

Fennel told Patch at that he will continue his push for voters.

“I feel humbled and honored that my neighbors believed that I could best represent their interests on the city council,” he said. “We'll continue to work hard. Knock on doors, talk to people. Continue to pursue voters who missed Election Day and who are still eligible.''

The runoff election for Wards 4, 5 and 7 is Dec. 6. Early voting is available at the beginning Monday, Nov. 28 and ending on Friday, Dec. 2.

Cobb County Board of Elections Official and Complete Results

(* indicates candidates scheduled for the Dec. 6 runoff.)

SMYRNA MAYOR

VOTES

Alex Backry

395

7.18%

A. Max Bacon

4148

75.35%

Donna Short-Woodham

942

17.11%

WARD 1

John Miller

204

49.51%

Melleny Pritchett

207

50.24%

WARD 2

Andrea Blustein

363

98.64%

WARD 3

Teri Anulewicz

491

98.59%

WARD 4

Alex Bretch

42

4.99%

Judith Causey Jones

117

13.90%

* Mike McNabb

409

48.57%

* Chas “Corkey” Welch

272

32.30%

WARD 5

Michael “Mike” Hyde

104

20.47%

* Jason Saliba

205

40.35%

* Susan D. Wilkinson

196

38.58%

WARD 6

Wade S. Lnenicka

800

97.92%

WARD 7

* Ron Fennel

697

39.25%

* Garry Osborne

380

21.40%

Ziad Salameh

322

18.13%

Vic Yankouski

373

21.00%

SUNDAY ALCOHOL SALES

Yes

4278

76.24%

No

1333

23.76%