HEADLINE: Hamilton County Election Commission to study write-in candidates in District 9 election, decision next Wednesday
THE RECAP: The Hamilton County Election Commission voted 5-0 on Thursday to look at the seven write-in candidates in the District 9 Chattanooga City Council election before it makes a decision next Wednesday on whether there will be a runoff in the race between Peter Murphy and Yusuf Hakeem.
It takes 50 percent plus one vote to win, and, thanks to the write-ins, neither man hit the mark: Hakeem got 49.98 percent of the vote. If the write-in votes aren’t counted, Hakeem would win. If no winner is declared, then Hakeem and Murphy will face each other April 9 in a runoff.
DREW’S VIEW: If just one of the seven voters who wrote-in a candidate had voted for Yusuf Hakeem, he would have won. It’s one of the few examples in the history of elections in America where every vote actually mattered. It’s exciting that it happened right here in Chattanooga.
So, who did the write-in voters cast their votes for? According to Charlotte Mullis-Morgan, the Hamilton County Administrator of Elections, Melony Collins, Michael Dwayne Davenport and “J.J.” each received a vote. As did District 8 candidates Andraé McGary and Moses Freeman. Two ballots were marked “Write-in” with no name written in — apparently protest votes.