The mayoral candidate filed his request at Piedmont City Hall around noon Wednesday, City Clerk Michelle Franklin said.
The Star first learned of Williams’ desire to file for a recount on Tuesday, but numerous attempts to reach Williams this week for comment were unsuccessful.
Williams’ written request for recount stated that he has “reasonable suspicion to believe that the results of said election to have been miscounted, switched or otherwise tampered with.”
The request also states that Williams has reason to believe that “voter fraud may have been involved as a result of names being removed from voters list as of specified time…” and that “sources also indicated that a candidate of the election may have been involved of the purging of voters list days before said election.”
The request also states that an “unauthorized person may have been present inside the voters’ hall during time of voting as well as the counting of elector votes.”
With 256 votes, Williams came out on the bottom in the mayoral race, and would have to pick up 163 votes to make it into a runoff with candidate Brent Morrison, who received 519 votes.
Candidate Rick Freeman received 418 votes. A runoff between Morrison and Freeman is scheduled for Oct. 9.
Morrison said he believes the original count to be accurate. He said Williams has the right to make the request. Alabama law states that any voter can request a recount within 48 hours after election results have been certified.
“I don’t really foresee a difference in the voting, but if Williams wants a recount I’m fine with it,” Morrison said. Freeman could not be reached Thursday for comment.
Franklin estimated the cost of recounting the mayoral race to be around $300. That cost would fall on Williams unless the outcome of the election is changed, according to Alabama law.
The Piedmont City Council will have to approve the recount in a special called meeting, Franklin said, before the recount can be scheduled.
A date for that meeting had not been set by 1 p.m. Thursday.
Star staff writer Eddie Burkhater: 256-235-3563 or on Twitter @burkhalter_star
