Runoff in mayor’s race

The current mayor of Holly Springs will face the previous mayor in a runoff May 16.

Unofficial election re­turns show that just 30 votes separated the top two vote-getters in a three-man race for mayor Tuesday in the primary.

Incumbent Kelvin Buck received 962 votes and Andre DeBerry 932.

Rodney Lowe finished third with 216 votes.

Tim Liddy was re-elected alderman at-large over challenger Barbara Caldwell. Liddy received 1,064 votes to Caldwell’s 956.

In Ward 1, alderman Bernita Fountain-Lowe handily defeated Lee Gill. The totals were 311 for Fountain-Lowe and 140 for Gill. It will be Fountain-Lowe’s second term.

Lennell Lucas took Ward 2 by a vote of 321 to 227 over Lemon Phelps. It will be Lucas’ first term as alderman. Incumbent Sharon Gipson did not seek re-election.

Ward 3 alderman Mark Miller was unopposed. He received 445 votes.

In Ward 4, Christy Owens goes back into office for a second term with 304 votes to Donna Hunt’s 232 votes.

Voter turnout was slightly down from the municipal election four years ago.

There were a large number of absentee ballots in this election – 525.

The race for mayor will be the only one on the ballot in two weeks, Tuesday, May 16