The number of ballots cast in the special election for mayor on Tuesday nudged up by less than a percent last night after the Biloxi Municipal Election Commission validated 65 votes cast by affidavit.
With the new numbers, leader “FoFo” Gilich, who faces W.S. “Windy” Swetman III in a runoff on May 12, picked up 13 votes, while Swetman increased by 14, and third place finisher Felix O. Gines saw 13 more votes.
Affidavit ballots are typically cases where names of would-be voters are either not on the official list of registered voters or the would-be voter does not have a valid ID. In those cases, the person is allowed to vote by affadavit, also known as a provisional ballot. The ballots are kept in individual sealed envelopes, and election officials later attempt to verify eligibility. If eligibility is validated, the ballot is counted along with regular ballots.
The new numbers, with a total of 7,670 votes cast:
“FoFo” Gilich (2,220 votes or 28.94 percent)
W.S. “Windy” Swetman III (1699 votes or 22.15 percent)
Felix O. Gines (1,055 votes or 13.75 percent)
Paul Tisdale (973 votes or 12.68 percent)
Cono Caranna (728 votes or 9.49 percent)
Dixie Newman (689 votes or 8.98 percent)
Kenny Glavan (184 votes or 2.39 percent)
David Bull (79 votes or 1.03 percent)
Pat Morris (13 votes or .16 percent)
Victor Ainsworth (10 votes or .13 percent)
See the precinct-by-precinct numbers
So, who can vote in the runoff?
Municipal Clerk Stacy Thacker is reminding registered voters that they can vote in the May 12 special election runoff regardless of whether they voted in the April 28 election.
“The most important thing,” Thacker said, “is that you are a registered voter, and that you registered 30 days before this runoff. The fact is, if you have voted in a previous Biloxi municipal election, you should be a registered voter in Biloxi. But make no mistake: No one will be turned away on voting day. If you are a resident of Biloxi and your name cannot be found on the voter rolls when you go to vote, you may still vote, by affidavit.”
See more Voter Information
Absentee voting may begin shortly
Absentee voting for the runoff election should begin in the next couple of days, pending arrival of the Secretary of State-approved ballots, according to Municipal Clerk Stacy Thacker.
“We’ll make an announcement just as soon as the absentee ballots arrive,” Thacker said.  Additionally, City Hall will be open two Saturdays, May 2 and May 9, from 8 a.m. to noon for in-person absentee voting for the runoff election.
Absentee balloting is for eligible voters who are unable to be at the polls on election day.