Recount confirms Culver’s runoff win

The Polk County Board of Elections finished up their recount quickly in the special election run-off between incoming school board member Chris Culver, and outgoing interim school board member Judy Wiggins.

Elections director Karen Garmon said the results in the recount were exactly the same, 191 votes for Culver and 190 votes for Wiggins in the Dec. 5 run-off. The recount happened last week on Dec. 12.

The Secretary of State’s office still has to send back paperwork to the county to certify and approve the results of the recount, and allow Culver to take the seat. Once that is done, a date will be scheduled to swear-in Culver for the remainder of the District 6 term, not up for vote again until 2020. That hadn’t been announced by press time over the weekend.

Culver is taking over for Wiggins, who was appointed by the board in an interim spot after former school board member Hal Floyd resigned. Floyd was appointed in October to take over the seat held by Stefanie Drake Burford on the Polk County Commission.

Joining Culver and Wiggins in the race for the special election was Carolyn Williams. She received 18 percent of the vote on the November ballot.

Culver could be sworn in as early as this week. His first meeting with the Board of Education will likely be on Jan. 2, 2018 for the opening community input and work session. The board is also scheduled to meet on Jan. 9 for their regular meeting.