(BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala.) Incumbent Bayou La Batre Mayor Stan Wright and Henry Barnes will square off Oct. 9 in a runoff election for mayor.
Wright got 192 votes, or 45 percent. Barnes received 141 votes, or 33 percent. Both Wright and Barnes commented Tuesday on the light voter turnout. Officials say only 427 people voted.
Mayor Wright, who is facing a federal indictment and an eventual trial in an alleged land swap deal after Hurricane Katrina, says the courts could play a role in the runoff election next month.
"It'll affect the votes," Wright said. "It's tough to beat three opponents in the beginning and the federal government. I think in the end we will beat them all."
"I feel confident that I'm going to win the runoff," Barnes said. "I'm going to get out and campaign hard. I'm the only candidate running for mayor, that's ever served on the city council.
Again the runoff election is Oct. 9. Wright says he's confident he will keep his seat. He says the last time he faced a runoff was in 2004.
