Byars wins runoff for revenue commissioner

There was a 29-vote difference in results for the run-off election, as Stratt Byars emerged over Veronica Copeland Stancil for Franklin County revenue commissioner.

Byars received 2,107 votes to Copeland Stancil’s 2,078, a .7 percent difference.

“I am so thankful for everyone who came out and supported me,” Byars said. “Veronica ran a great race. It was tight.”

In the March primary, 23 votes separated the top two candidates. At that time, Copeland Stancil received 44.59 percent of the vote with 2,437, while Stratt Byars received 44.17 percent of votes with 2,414.

Tuesday’s results will not be official until July 22, when the qualifying provisional ballots – ballots for which there is a question whether the votes will count, for a variety of reasons – have been added in. Nine provisional ballots need to be counted.

In races across the state, Tommy Tuberville claimed 67.81 percent of the vote for United States Senator over Jeff Sessions with 2,836 votes, and Will Smith tallied 59.56 percent of the vote for Court of Criminal Appeals Judge over Beth Kellum with 1,999 votes.

In total, 4,229 people came out to the polls for the run-off election, which is 21 percent of the turnout from the original election in March.

Franklin County Probate Judge Barry Moore said he is proud of his team in the probate office and everyone else who worked to make the elections possible.

“With the situation that we had with this virus, we appreciate our poll workers for doing their civic duty and helping the citizens go out and vote,” Moore said. “We are also thankful to everyone who went out at this time and voted.”