It has been decided

MILTON — After a mandatory recount done on Nov 10., the race for the Milton City Council Ward 2 seat between candidates Pamela Mitchell and Shannon Rice has been officially decided.

In the initial count on election night, Rice was in the lead by less than .05 percent of the votes. According to Santa Rosa County supervisor of elections Tappie Villane, if final votes show a difference of .05 percent or less between candidates, Florida law requires a mandatory recount to be done to make sure all votes are accurate.

After the recount was done, Villane said, the final results showed that Rice had won the seat on the council with 39.69 percent of the votes.

“The recount was completed Saturday and went very well,” Villane said. “There were eight people watching the recount. The people [doing the recount] did a great job.”

Villane said the office was now in the process of doing statewide recounts for the governor, senate, and agriculture commissioner candidates, all of which had also fallen into the mandatory recount requirement.

Mitchell congratulated Rice on her victory, saying that she thanked everyone who supported her during the campaign.

“Please show her your support,” Mitchell said in a statement to the public. “As she becomes your new council member for Ward 2…give her the opportunity to earn your trust.”

Rice will be sworn in with newly elected ward 3 council member, George Jordan and newly elected mayor Heather Lindsay at the December 11 city council meeting.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: It has been decided