SC Justices Cancel Election In Atlantic Beach

ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (AP) - Atlantic Beach’s mayoral election has been delayed again.

The state Supreme Court canceled Tuesday’s runoff the day before it was supposed to take place.

The justices ruled 3-2 that the town should not have included a write-in blank during a Dec. 2 election ordered by the same court because the election in November 2007 was not valid.

Councilwoman Retha Pierce received 37 votes in the Dec. 2 election, falling three votes short of a win. Two write-in candidates split 38 votes.

But the justices ruled the race should have been just between the original candidates, Pierce and Mayor Irene Armstrong, who was indicted on misconduct charges and suspended from office after last year’s election.

Atlantic Beach has 30 days to schedule a new election