Korn takes at- large seat on School Board
Three Broward races were too close to call Tuesday night, and by Wednesday afternoon only one had been decided.
Donna Korn was declared the winner for the at- large seatontheBroward County School Board, but commission candidates in Dania Beach and Margate will have to wait until at least Thursday to find out whowon.
Appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to fill a vacant seat last fall, Kornnarrowlydefeated her opponent, state Rep. Franklin Sands, D- Weston.
“I ran against someone who ran in political office, it’s very exciting to think,” Korn said. She added she was committed to budget oversight, de- emphasizing the stress of high stakes testing and bringing creativity back in classrooms.
Margate
FrankMessana is hoping for last- minute numbers to be in his favor.
“You never know, it can possibly change,” Messana said. “Younever can tell. I’m still hopeful.”
Messana trailed David McLean by 73 votes in a three- way race. With a race that close, Messana is hoping when the Supervisor of Elections Office finishes counting all of Broward’s 30,000 absentee ballots, he gets more votes. Also still to be counted: an unknown number of provisional ballots — those voters whose eligibility cannot be determined and still need to be researched.
“We have not finished counting … so we won’t know until at least tomorrow night when the CanvassingBoardreconvenes,” Supervisor of Elections spokeswoman Mary saidWednesday.
The office had received 165,000 absentee ballots and expected the counting to be finished by 5 p. m. Thursday.
Dania Beach
Cooney
Chickie Brandimarte was ahead of C. K. ’ Mac’ McElyea by 23 votes.
“I lost by six one time,” McElyea said. “I’m not going to chase this. If luck comesmy way, good. If not, still good. I’m happy either way. I’ll be here forever, so I’m notworried about it.”
But even after all the absentee and provisional ballots are cast, the races might still not be over.
“If the contest is half of 1 percent different, a machine recount is required. If it is one- fourth of 1 percent, a manual recount is required,” Cooney said.