Deadline nearing on Newberry annexation election

The determination of whether or not three separate blocks of land will be annexed into the City of Newberry is expected to become clear Tuesday evening.  That’s when ballots are slated to be opened and counted, Supervisor of Election Pam Carpenter said Wednesday.

The annexations are being handled as a referendum in each of the three areas, meaning registered voters living on the lands being considered for annexation may cast a ballot in favor of or against the move.

In Annexation Referendum 1, located along the Gilchrist County line, of the 107 ballots mailed to voters, 47 have been returned to the Supervisor of Elections office, Carpenter said.

Located in the northwestern most portion of Newberry, Annexation Referendum 2 has had 15 out of 27 ballots returned so far.

Just 28 of 72 ballots have been returned in Annexation Referendum 3, which runs across the north and south sides of State Road 26, east of Hitchcock’s Market.

Each annexation area is technically being voted on in separate elections and the determination of whether or not one area is annexed will have nothing to do with votes from the other areas.

Carpenter said her office would begin the necessary steps to tally the results at 6 p.m. Tuesday evening in downtown Gainesville.