WHITNEY, Texas (KXXV) — The City of Whitney held a recount for mayor Tuesday morning at the Whitney ISD Administration Building, confirming Janice Sanders as the winner by a single vote.
In just a little more than 35 minutes, ballot boxes were locked up and put away as the recount for mayor concluded. Election officials determined the numbers did not change from the original count.
"All votes were counted. I stood next to the tabulation and watched every ballot, every hashmark put on the sheet," Ken Scales said.
Scales, a vocal critic of Mayor Sanders, was one of the official watchers during the recount. He described witnessing the democratic process firsthand as an amazing experience.
"So this is a message to everybody that every vote counts. Every vote counts. Next cycle, we need everybody to get out and help us change this city," Scales said.
Sanders won the race for mayor with 76 votes, beating opponent Zach Hamlin by just one vote. Another candidate, Brian Burkhart, received 37 votes.
Out of the 190 votes total, two were undervotes, meaning the number of choices selected by a voter was less than the maximum number allowed for that election.
25 News spoke with mayoral candidate Hamlin after the recount results were announced.
"It unfortunately did not change the result and did not go the way we wanted it to go, but it's okay," Hamlin said.
Hamlin plans to run for the city council during the next election in May 2026.
"It doesn't change who we are and our integrity and the way we view life. We're going to continue to move forward," he said.
25 News reached out to Mayor Sanders for comment through email, but we have not received a response.
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