MACON, Ga. — Update:
After all the votes were counted, the tight race between Desmond Brown and Marshall Talley didn't need a recount after all.
At a recent Macon-Bibb Board of Election meeting, the board of elections said Brown narrowly surpassed the 0.5% threshold required to avert a potential recount. Because of that,
When election day came to a close, there was only a singular vote between Brown and Talley. Brown received 1,903 votes to Talley's 1,902
But with the final results increasing Brown's lead, the board concluded that Talley could not ask for a recount at a meeting on May 31.
Read the original story below.
Original:
With one vote separating incumbent Desmond Brown and challenger Marshall Talley, a contentious race for Macon Water Authority's Second District is not over yet.
At the end of election day, Desmond Brown tentatively warded off a challenge from Marshall Talley by a single vote, but the road to victory is slightly more complicated.
Brown received 1,903 votes to Talley's 1,902. But on Tuesday evening, Talley confirmed to 13WMAZ that he is asking for a recount.
"Really just shocked. It's so tight — just one vote," Talley told 13WMAZ. "I just want to make sure everything is right."
The Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections says there are at least four ballots outstanding over technical issues, but election officials did not know whether the MWA race was on any of them.
Talley is an entrepreneur behind the restaurant and bar VIBEZ in downtown Macon.
Under Georgia law, candidates who lose by under 0.5% are legally eligible to ask for a recount. Because of the razor-thin margin between Talley and Brown, Talley says he just wants to make sure everything is correct.
"We're going to have a recount to see. It's real tight," Talley said. "We just want to make sure all the votes are counted, and the vote are fair."
Brown faced controversy over allegations of self-dealing and accusations of scamming elderly women. Now, he faces a recount — in a one vote election.
13WMAZ reached out to Desmond Brown for comment on Talley's decision to ask for a recount. We did not hear back.
Right now, vote totals with the Macon-Bibb Board of Election are not technically official. That will come after the board certifies the results.
When Talley originally challenged Brown in 2022, Talley previously finished third in a five-person race. Brown secured 41.3% of the votes cast and it was followed Lindsay Holliday receiving 21.1% of the vote. Talley secured 12.9% in that 2022 race.
But on top of being the only competitor to Brown this time around, Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller publicly supported Talley's campaign.
The Macon-Bibb County Board of Election has been relatively quiet about how many votes remain.
Additionally, since Macon Water Authority races are based on geographic districts, the real question is how many ballots remain in the water authority's second district. The Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections have not commented on that.