By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Montevallo City Hall will see a runoff as incumbent Mayor Ben McCrory faces City Council member Hollie Cost.

Cost nearly won the election, but fell 22 votes short of the majority with 348 votes. McCrory earned 254 votes. Mayor candidate David Nichols won 89 votes, and Steve Sears saw 47 votes. A total of 738 ballots were tallied, along with 15 provisional votes.

“I’d rather it not be a runoff, but I live to fight another fight,” McCrory said. “I intend to keep my people together and keep running hard. I’ve got too much invested in Montevallo not to try to be the leader in it and be our mayor.”

Cost, who was 22 votes away from the win with 47 percent, said she has mixed emotions.

“I’m happy and I’m excited I’m still in it, and I’m cautiously optimistic about what the future holds,” Cost said.

“I am very excited about the possibilities and hopeful we’ll have a good turnout on Oct. 9,” Cost added about the run off. “I want to congratulate the other candidates. They worked hard.”

Nichols congratulated Cost and McCrory.

“May the best person win who will lead Montevallo. It’s very critical time for our city,” Nichols said. “I didn’t have much confidence in winning having been gone from the city a number of years. Both of them were incumbents in essence with her on the council and him as mayor. They had more folks that know them now.

“I appreciate those who supported me,” Nichols added. “They were very loyal and very confident I would be the best candidate, but obviously everyone didn’t agree.”

Sears said he didn’t have anything to say after the election.

While three of the City Council positions were secure with Rusty Nix, Willie Goldsmith and Sharon Gilbert retaining their positions, two seats were undecided during the election.

Brandon Broadhead, Don Hughes and Jason Peterson competed for council District 4. Broadhead earned 43 votes, while Hughes and Peterson will have a runoff, winning 68 and 63 votes, respectively.

“What happened to me is Peterson is not known, but works at the college and is piggy backing Hollie (Cost’s) vote,” Hughes said. “That’s what happened. I’m in a runoff, and I’m in for a battle. The battle’s more fun than the win.”

Peterson said he is “running for the future of Montevallo.

“Well, I’m happy to be in a run off. I’m just looking forward to the future of Montevallo and a lot better things for Montevallo,” Peterson said. “I don’t think we’re in a battle. It’s an election. People’s point of views have a more important role.”

Incumbent City Council member Dee Woodham won her council District 5 seat with 144 votes over challenger Jonathan Danzer with 44 votes.