Recount flips Malvern Council race: Burgess wins final seat by a single vote

If you think your vote doesn’t count — it did for a Malvern Council candidate.

After an automatic recount Nov. 19 by the Carroll County Board of Elections, Barbara Burgess was declared the winner of the fourth seat on Malvern Village Council by one vote.

Burgess, an incumbent, received 105 official votes, defeating incumbent Craig Delong, who received 104.

Also re-elected to four-year terms were Marci Hubbard, who led the field with 147 votes, and Tom Holmes with 131. Michael McCort was elected as a new council member with 136 votes.

No changes in totals

Following the Nov. 13 official canvass by the Board of Elections, no changes in the total results were noted, according to Deloris Kean, director of elections.

However, updated figures showed that 4,405 registered voters cast ballots, compared to the 4,380 reported in the unofficial results. The 25-vote increase reflects a 25.11% turnout among the county’s 17,545 registered voters.

Upcoming 2026 May primary

Looking ahead to 2026, Kean said there will be a special primary election May 5 for the office of United States senator during the regular primary. Three county offices, along with precinct central committee seats for both the Democratic and Republican parties, will also appear on the ballot. All of those four-year terms expire May 16, 2026.

The Carroll County offices on the May 5, 2026, ballot include:

— One county commissioner (currently held by Donald Leggett), a four-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2026;

— County auditor (currently held by Staci Brady), a four-year term expiring March 7, 2027;

— Judge of Common Pleas Probate and Juvenile Court (currently held by Sean R. H. Smith), a six-year term expiring Feb. 8, 2027;

— Precinct Central Committee members for the Democratic and Republican parties (four-year terms expiring May 16, 2026).

The petition-filing deadline for these offices is Feb. 4, 2026.