Vote Again for Wilkes School Board Third Seat

It now comes down to another vote in November to determine a third Wilkes School Board member.  Following the May Primary, Coleen Bush asked for re-counts as she trailed Rickey Lankford by just one vote.   Bush then filed a protest with the State after Wilkes elections officials found irregularities in the voting process as there was the possibility that one or two 17-year-olds were given full ballots.   Darren Shumate and Hardin Kennedy III were the top two candidates in the race, but they could not be sworn in until the protest was resolved and the election certified.  The NC Board of Elections held a hearing in Raleigh this week and decided to order a new election between Bush and Lankford for the school board’s third seat.  State Officials also determined that the top vote getter in the election, Darren Shumate, could now be sworn in and serve on the Board.  However, the second seat vote getter, Hardin Kennedy III, is still in limbo and must wait until after the new election between Bush and Lankford before he can be sworn in.  The new school board election for the third seat will be held in conjunction with the General Election in November.