Due to little-known rule, no winner declared in Ringgold mayoral race

RINGGOLD, Ga. – Because of a rule in the city charter many people didn’t seem to know about, no winner was declared in the Ringgold mayoral race Tuesday night.

None of the three candidates had more than 50 percent of the vote so there will be a runoff vote Dec. 1 between the two candidates who earned the most votes – Tony Hullender and Nick Millwood.

Hullender finished with 38.28 percent (147 total votes) to Millwood’s 37.5 percent (144 total votes). Jerry Payne had 23.96 percent (92 votes) and there was one write-in vote.

Just before Elections Superintendent Nicki Lundeen announced the results to the room, she explained the runoff rule: if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, there will be a runoff vote in a separate election.

This was a surprise to everybody, even the mayoral candidates. After the results were announced, Hullender and Millwood told the Times Free Press they thought the election was structured so that whoever had the most votes would win.

“All this time we were led to believe it was the count,” Hullender said.

“I was under the impression it would be a plurality to win the election,” Millwood said.

This election was a significant one in Ringgold’s history. Whoever wins the election will unseat Joe Barger, who has been Ringgold’s mayor for 40 years.

Barger, the 85-year-old grandson of a Confederate soldier in the Civil War, decided not to run this year, but was sitting in the crowd Tuesday listening to the results.

He wrote down all the percentages on a small piece of paper he pulled out of his pocket.

“Now, that’s very close,” he said, pointing at the figures of Hullender and Millwood, who were separated by just three votes.

Millwood, given a second chance at being named Ringgold mayor, said although he was surprised, he wasn’t upset about the unknown runoff rule.

“It would be inappropriate to be upset with the will of the city,” Millwood said.

But Hullender was.

“Yes, I’m upset,” he said.

Now, Hullender will have to go through another election against Millwood. He thought if he finished Tuesday with the most votes, he would become mayor on Jan. 1 when Barger’s term runs out. That wasn’t the case.

“Since they haven’t had any challengers for mayor in 40 years, they didn’t change the law on the charter,” Hullender said.

In the city council race, Terry Crawford, Sara Clark and Larry Black received the three highest number of votes, earning them a seat on the council. Crawford and Earl Henderson were the only incumbents running. Henderson received the fourth highest amount of votes, leaving him 52 votes short of being on the council.

Contact staff writer Evan Hoopfer at ehoopfer@timesfreepress.com or ehoopfer@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.