Almost two weeks after elections, Muncie learned who will be its new mayor: Jim Mansfield.
The Delaware County Election Board announced the democratic candidate beat Sharon McShurley by an 11-vote margin during a meeting on Friday.
Neither candidate attended the meeting and could not be reached at home for comment during the weekend.
County Clerk Karen Wenger said McShurley has until noon Tuesday to demand a recount. The Republican Party has until Nov. 26 to demand a recount on McShurley's behalf, Wenger said.
Attorney David Brooks, who represented McShurley during the board meeting, said she had not officially called for a recount, but she mentioned doing so in the past.
"On a razor-thin margin like this, [a recount] wouldn't be unexpected," Brooks said.
Mansfield margin of victory widened from nine votes during Friday's meeting after board members examined and counted contested absentee and provisional ballots.
The board examined 14 provisional ballots and decided to accept them based on whether the voter provided proper identification and met all other requirements.
The examination of the contested absentee ballots lead to more heated debate, however.
During the meeting, Brooks said republican representatives were not given evidence prior to the meeting to help present their cases for each vote, even though Democrats was able to view evidence beforehand.
Muncie resident Gladys Hardwick attended the meeting to defend her absentee ballot, which, according to the board, had been signed by her daughter.
"I don't know how this could have happened," Hardwick said during the meeting.
Board member Bruce Munson said the board had no choice about rejecting Hardwick and her daughter's ballots.
"It probably isn't fair," he said, "but in my opinion, the law gives us no choice."
Tempers flared between political parties when the legitimacy of the signature on one of the absentee ballots was brought into question.
Attorney Michael Quirk, who represented the Democratic Party, said Brooks was accusing him of being a "liar" as he pointed his finger and shouted across the table.
As board members debated whether the signature on the ballot matched the one on the voter's identification, Brooks said most of the letters looked the same except one.
"Looking at the 'K,' I can see it's radically different," Brooks said.
Board members voted to count the ballot.
Voting results
- Jim Mansfield, Democrat: 6,133 (50.04 percent)
- Sharon McShurley, Republican: 6,122 (49.96 percent)
Board members
- William Bruns, Republican
- Bruce Munson, Republican
- Phil Nichols, Democrat
Provisional votes
- When a voter submits a questionable ballot, a provisional ballot can be cast.
- Voters are given 10 days after the election to bring proper identification in order for their votes to be considered.
- Reasons for casting provisional ballots: The voter does not have a proper photo ID or the voter's name is not on the poll list.
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