Local

No winner in Volusia Co. school board special election

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — There is still no clear winner in a special election to fill an empty school board seat in Volusia County.

Horace Anderson Jr., Deborah Nader, Teresa Valdes, Kathy Williams and Ida Wright were all running for the District 2 seat. The seat belonged to Dr. Al Williams, who died in October. It covers 16 schools in coastal cities, including Port Orange and Daytona Beach.

In a special election Tuesday Wright got nearly 39 percent of the votes, while Williams got almost 26 percent.

But because neither candidate took more than 50 percent of the vote, the supervisor of elections will have to hold a runoff in January.

Volusia County Supervisor of Elections Ann McFall said Tuesday’s election cost between $50,000 and $70,000.

Recounts and a runoff are a direct result of the low turnout. McFall said the holiday season could be to blame, but said it was the earliest she could hold the special election.