Finally! Spencer wins it by four in Pinckneyville

Tuesday's canvas of the April 7 election certified Robert Spencer as the winner of the historic mayoral race in Pinckneyville between a very respected African American and a very respected woman, 32-year city clerk Fran Thomas.

Before the morning ended, retired director Perry County Soil & Water Conservation Executive Director Robert Spencer would become the new mayor of Pinckneyville by the thinnest of margins--only four votes.

That was even one vote less by the five-vote margin that was tabulated on election night. The difference was in the eight absentee ballots that were postmarked on or before April 7, but didn't arrive until after the election.

After the eight remaining postmarked votes in Perry County were counted, and only one being from Pinckneyville, Spencer received 451 votes to Thomas' 447 votes.

Spencer will be seated as the new mayor in the community on May 11, the same time that newly elected Du Quoin Mayor Guy Alongi takes office.

There is a great deal of respect between the two candidates and Spencer has asked Thomas to stay as city clerk, but she has indicted she may retire despite the outpouring from friends and the community that she stay.

Perry County Clerk Josh Gross said this was the closest race in decades in Pinckneyville, reaching as far back as the 1930s.

Spencer has never felt that race was an issue in the high quality life that he has led or in this election. He said he is grateful for the outcome and that the election is over and hopes to help move Pinckneyville forward.