Huntsville City Council Special Session: Canvassing Election Results and Runoff Call (September 10, 2024)
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Huntsville City Council Special Session: Canvassing Election Results and Runoff Call (September 10, 2024)
Note: The agenda, minutes, and transcript indicate the meeting actually occurred on September 3, 2024, not September 10, 2024 as specified in the instruction. This summary uses the provided date per instructions, but notes the discrepancy.
This special session was convened to canvass the returns of the general municipal election held on August 27, 2024, and to take action on election-related ordinances. The meeting was called to order at 12:00 PM in the City Council Chambers. Council President David Little presided, with Councilmembers Jennie Robinson and Bill Kling present; Councilmembers Devyn Keith and John Meredith were absent. City Clerk Shaundrika Edwards and City Attorney Trey Riley were in attendance.
Election Canvassing & Provisional Ballot Counting
- The provisional ballots accepted by the Board of Registrars were opened and counted using the DS 200 electronic vote counting machine (the same type used in precincts during the general election).
- City Clerk Edwards read each provisional ballot aloud, and a hand count was performed to verify machine totals.
- Results for City Council District 1: Devin Keith received 4 votes, Michelle Watkins received 3 votes, and Reggie McKenzie received 1 vote.
- Results for Board of Education District 1: Pat King received 3 votes, Will Culver received 2 votes, Claudia Harris received 1 vote, and Chandra Jones received 1 vote. There was one undervote for the school board.
- These results were added to the precinct totals displayed on the board. The final totals from all precincts were not read aloud during the meeting but were referenced as being posted.
Discussion Items
- Councilmember Bill Kling verified with the City Attorney that the procedures being followed were proper, receiving an affirmative nod.
- The body then considered two ordinances.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinance 24-629 (declaring John Meredith as the duly elected City Councilmember for District 5 and Carlos Mathews as the duly elected Board of Education member for District 5, term beginning November 4, 2024) was approved unanimously (3-0). Motion by President Little, second by Councilmember Robinson.
- Ordinance 24-630 (calling for a runoff election to be held on September 24, 2024, for City Council District 1 and Board of Education District 1) was approved unanimously (3-0). The runoff candidates are:
- City Council District 1: Devin Keith and Michelle Watkins
- Board of Education District 1: Chandra Jones and Pat King Motion by President Little, second by Councilmember Robinson.
- No public comments were offered; the meeting was adjourned after the ordinances were passed.
Meeting Transcript
City Council to order. Today's date is September third, twenty twenty four. The purpose of today's special session is to canvas the returns of the general municipal election, which was held on August twenty-seventh, twenty twenty four. Mr. Kling is present, Dr. Robinson's present, and the chair of absent are Mr. Meredith and Mr. Keith. City Clerk Sondrika Edwards is here on her staff. We will now begin to open the provisional ballots accepted by the Board of Registrars. All ballots will be counted by the DS two hundred electronic vote counting machine. This is the same type of machine used in the precincts during the general election. Good afternoon, Chandrika Edwards, City Clerk. We will be using the DS two hundred to officially count the ballots, but as we open them, I will read out loud what we have. Michelle Watkins, Board of Education, District One, Chandra Jones. Devin S. Keith, Board of Education, District One, Pat Keen. Ballot number three, City Council District One, Devin Keith, Board of Education, District One, Will Culver. City Council, District One, Devin S. Keith, Board of Education, District One, Pat King. Reggie McKenzie, Board of Education, District One, Will Culver. Ballot number six, City Council, District One, Michelle Watkins. And no vote for Board of Education. This is considered an undervote. It will only count for City Council District One, Michelle Watkins. Ballot number seven, City Council, District One, Michelle Watkins, Board of Education, District One, Claudia Harris. Ballot number eight. And our final ballot for this afternoon. City Council District One, Michelle Watkins, Board of Education, District One, Pat King. So sorry, one last ballot. Got ahead of myself. This is the last one for District One, Devin S. Keith and District One School Board, Pat King. The final ballot here is District Five, Kim Caudle Lewis, and Board of Education, Zara Broadnecks. We will continue to load the final ballots. We will get a tally, and Council President Little will read those final totals. The county IT department will get those numbers up on the screen shortly. We are going to hand count the ballots to verify against the machine. And at this time, we will read them off again. Sure. About the process. Are you ready, Council Members? Okay. Ballot number three, City Council, District One, Michelle Watkins. Board of Education District One. Claudia Harris. No one for Board of Education. That's considered an undervote. Ballot number five, City Council, Reggie McKenzie, Board of Education, District One, Will Culver. Ballot number six, City Council District One, Devin Keith.
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