Coulton defeats incumbent Westbrook by 8 votes in Petersburg Ward 7 race

Herb Coulton Jr. defeated incumbent Arnold Westbrook by eight votes in Petersburg’s Ward 7 City Council race after all ballots were counted. The margin is 0.5499%, making a recount possible if Westbrook pays for one. The final tally included absentee ballots and same-day registrations. Coulton described the close contest as nerve-racking, while local voter Ferley Yerby said the result underscored the importance of voting.