New Atlantic Beach mayor’s election certified

ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (AP) — The election of Jake Evans to be mayor of Atlantic Beach has been certified.

A three-member commission certified the results of the election on Thursday, even though they disqualified some of the ballots cast in the race.

Thursday’s count gave Evans the win over incumbent Retha Pierce 55-18.

Pierce had been suspended from office by then-Gov. Mark Sanford two years ago after her indictment on a charge of resisting arrest. Pierce was reinstated as mayor last summer.

The town was one of the only places along South Carolina’s Grand Strand where blacks could enjoy the beach during the days of Jim Crow segregation rules.