Drake makes it a clean sweep
By Staff
Leada DeVaney, Hartselle Enquirer
Bill Drake made it a clean sweep Tuesday, defeating incumbent City Councilman Dick Carter in runoff elections.
Drake joins a slate of all-new council members and a new mayor after voters rejected the reelection of incumbents last month.
Drake received 1,292 votes, or 71 percent, to Carter's 524 votes, or 29 percent. Carter received 469 fewer votes than he did in the August elections, where he placed second to Drake and ahead of a third candidate, Bruce Lackey. Drake lost some votes from the general election, too, when he polled some 200 votes higher.
Voter turnout was light Tuesday with the Drake/Carter race the only one on the local ballot.
The new mayor and council will be sworn in Oct. 4. Dwight Tankersley will be sworn in as mayor, with Drake, Kenny Thompson, Bill Smelser, Mark Mizell and Samie Wiley starting their terms on the city council.