ISLE OF PALMS — Shortly after the polls closed at 7 p.m. the numbers from this barrier island’s three voting precincts showed Mayor Phillip Pounds narrowly winning, but then the early votes collected by the county were tallied.

While Pounds received the most votes, according to unofficial results, neither he nor challenger Councilman Scott Pierce got more than 50 percent, so there will be a runoff election for mayor on Nov. 18.

Jon Regan Walters, the third candidate for mayor, received less than 6 percent of the vote but enough to keep the leading candidates from getting more than half of all ballots cast.

“It was the early vote that made the difference,” Pierce said.

Pounds was disappointed there will need to be another election, and said voter turnout often drops for runoffs. The isl

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