Billingsly wins Gadsden Council Seat

Billy Billingsley Sr. received 53.6 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s Gadsden City Council District 5 runoff to defeat four-term incumbent Councilman Bill Stewart.

Billingsley,  received 308 votes to Stewart’s 266 votes to win the seat he sought unsuccessfully three times previously.

Billingsley led Stewart 42.4 percent to 39.3 percent in the Aug. 26 general election.

Tuesday’s turnout was 22.6 percent, down from 36 percent Aug. 26.

Billingsley’s election means four of the city’s seven council seats will be held by blacks.

According to city voting records, District 5 is 58.6 percent white.

The council will certify the results at its Oct. 14 meeting when provisional votes will be counted. Officials said The number of provisional votes is not expected to affect the results.