By By Adam Prestridge
The deadline has past for candidates defeated in the Aug. 26 municipal election to contest its final results, city clerk Becca Smith confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
According to Smith, the deadline to dispute the canvassing of the results through a civil suit with Circuit Clerk Ken Taylor's office was five days after the results were made official through a council vote. The fifth day fell on Sunday and since it was not a weekday it was moved to the close of business Monday.
The council certified the election results during a special called meeting on Sept. 2.
Council members also met during a special called council meeting last Thursday morning and approved the $8,950 cost estimate for a recount at the request of the council candidates who were defeated in the election.
According to Shell, the candidates demanding the recount are required to foot the cost of the recount.
The cost of the recount includes $750 for six poll workers, $4,800 to Howell Hawthorne for three voting machines, $900 for ESS (Data Packs) and $2,500 per day for fees to city attorney Ed Hines. The cost of the recount would have to be paid in full up front by the candidates before the recount could be performed.
Smith said if the candidates would have agreed to the recount costs, it would have been held within the next 24 hours. That deadline also passed.