The Clarendon County Board of Voter Registration and Elections certified the results of the Town of Turbeville’s Nov. 4 municipal election on Thursday morning, officially confirming Herbert Mims and Becky Wilkes Keefe as the winners of two open Town Council seats.
During the canvass meeting, board members voted 6-1 to count five provisional ballots that had been flagged on Election Day after voters’ names did not appear in the poll book. Election staff from the State Election Commission determined that the voters were eligible and had been assigned incorrectly in the street file.
All five provisional ballots included votes for Mims and Keefe, adding five votes to each candidate’s total.
After the updated totals were tabulated and presented to the board, members voted 6-1 to certify the results. Board member Kathryn Turbeville voted against both motions, while Mattie Johnson was absent from the meeting.
According to the official results, Mims led with 56 votes (38.10%), followed by Keefe with 50 votes (34.01%). Incumbent Albert Mobley received 40 votes (27.21%), and one write-in vote was recorded.
A total of 147 votes were cast in the election, reflecting 19.23% turnout among the town’s 494 registered voters.
Election officials also noted 41 undervotes, meaning those voters selected only one candidate even though two seats were available. “If a voter only marks one name, that unused choice is recorded as an undervote,” Elections Coordinator Randy Curtis explained during the meeting.
No challenges, late absentee, or UOCAVA (military or overseas) ballots were received. The board reported that all audits and reconciliations balanced.
With certification complete, Mims will return for another term, while Keefe joins the five-member council, including the mayor, replacing Mobley.
