School board citywide: Chambers avoids runoff, grabs at-large seat

When the early votes were counted after midnight, Kia Chambers went from a likely runoff to the clear winner in the citywide race for Muscogee County School Board Post 9.

Based on Tuesday's votes at the 27 precincts, Chambers had 49.04 percent of the vote but needed 50 percent plus one vote to avoid a runoff. But after the early votes were tallied, she had 52.55 percent of the vote.

She finished with 12,306 votes, followed by former District 7 representative Owen Ditchfield with 7,189 (30.7 percent) and Nate Sanderson with 3,880 (16.57 percent).

The provisional ballots will be counted later this week.

Sanderson said he congratulated the winner.

"I can't be disappointed when the people speak. It is the people's election," Sanderson said.

Chambers, 41, is a real estate agent and is a former educator who was named teacher of the year at Hannan Elementary Magnet Academy.

This story was originally published May 19, 2014 at 9:22 AM with the headline "School board citywide: Chambers avoids runoff, grabs at-large seat."