BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) -- Beaufort County's board of elections has thrown out the results of the town council election and scheduled a special election to fill two open seats on the panel.

The Beaufort Gazette reports that the board took action late Friday evening and scheduled the special election for Nov. 18. The board certified the votes in all of the other local races.

Third-place finisher Jeff Fulgham filed a formal protest last Thursday with the county Board of Elections and Voter Registration, saying that "a substantial number" of voters had mistakenly not been allowed to cast ballots in Bluffton town races.

Results certified by the board Friday evening showed Fulgham finished 26 votes behind second-place finisher Allyne Mitchell. Incumbent council member Fred Hamilton finished first, 104 votes ahead of Mitchell.

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Information from: The Beaufort Gazette, http://www.beaufortgazette.com

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