The wait is over – Lexington County’s municipal election results are certified.

The county Registration and Elections Commision shared the official vote counts with the Chronicle after certifying them Friday, and while there were some races that were too close to call after voting closed Nov. 7, the ultimate winners were the same as they appeared to be that night.

Seats on Lexington and Irmo’s town councils were up in the air pending a recount due to candidates being within the 1% margin that requires a recount under state law.

While there were small changes in the vote count between the unofficial and official results, the order remained the same in Lexington, where three at-large seats were on the line, with Todd Lyle holding onto his seat with 1,247 votes (18.47%). He will be joined by Will Allen and Jeannie Michaels, who received 1,055 votes (15.62%) and 1,031 (15.27%), respectively. 

Following them were Greg Brewer with 1,009 votes (14.94%), Amelia Cherry Pocta with 887 (13.14%), Edwin Gerace with 811 (12.01%) and Mathew Graham with 683 (10.12%).

Irmo also saw small changes in the final vote count but no change in the outcome. The town, which also saw a mayoral change as Barry Walker was unseated by Town Council Member Bill Danielson, had two at-large seats on the line, with incumbent Erik Sickinger reclaiming his seat and Phyllis Coleman barely edging Gabriel Penfield. Sickinger received 890 votes (31.91%), Coleman got 675 (24.20%) and Penfiled got 650 votes (23.30%).

Rounding out the rest of the results, Jeff Allen got 488 votes (17.49%), and George Frazier, who was declared ineligible after filing ahead of election day, with 72 votes (2.58%).

After the election, Penfield filed two protests, one taking ame at the votes that were cast for Frazier and the other having to do with activities that allegedly transpired at polling locations. Hearings were held Nov. 10, and ultimately, the county’s election commission voted  unanimously to keep the election as it stands for both hearings.

Penfield told the Chronicle he is unsure if he will pursue further appeals of the results.

A slim margin in Cayce was also certified. District 2 candidate Byron Thomas beat long-standing incumbent, and the city's sitting mayor pro-tem, James "Skip" Jenkins,  with the two gaining 115 votes (36.74%) and 110 votes (35.14%), respectively. Marie Brown received 86 votes (27.48%). 

The certified results also offered clarity on two races where seats were being filled by write-in candidates.

In Chapin, Town Council Member Vicky Shealy was the only incumbent seeking two at-large seats, with no one else having filed. Shealy gained 44 votes (51.76%), and there were a total of 41 votes cast, with Mike Clonts gaining enough to win the seat.

Gilbert had two at-large seats available on Town Council, with only one non-incumbent, Fred Taylor, having filed to run. He got 35 votes (32.71%) against 72 write-ins write-ins. Lenice Shoemaker, director for the Lexington County Registration and Elections office, said Taylor, as the candidate that filed, won one of the seats.

The 72 write-in votes went to Brian Smith and Donnie Cason, and as Gilbert changed from a plurality vote to a majority vote for its elections earlier this year, they will faceoff in a runoff election Nov. 21 for the remaining seat.