Additional ballots don't affect outcome of tight Broward school board race

Incumbent Donna Korn avoids runoff with parent of Parkland victim

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward County elections officials said that they counted 5,000 additional ballots Wednesday, but the outcomes of only one local race was affected by the extra votes.

The additional votes are poised to flip the winner in the race for 17th judicial court judge, Group 42, to Michael Usan.

Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes said the mail-in ballots were delivered to her offices when polls closed Tuesday, but they were opened and counted Wednesday.

Incumbent Donna Korn was in a tight race against Ryan Petty, whose daughter Alaina Petty was killed in the Parkland school shooting, for the at-large school board seat. The final results, with Korn earning 50.40 percent of the vote, allowed her to avoid a runoff with Petty.

In the night's other major close race, incumbent Ann Murray will face Jim Silvernale in a runoff election on Nov. 5 for the District 1 seat, which covers Hollywood, Hallandale Beach and Dania Beach. Natalia Garceau and Veronica Newmeyer were eliminated.

In the other school board races Tuesday, newcomer Lori Alhadeff, another parent of Parkland victim, also earned a spot on the board while incumbents Laurie Levinson and Nora Rupert retained their seats.