Mark Hallam re-elected to Newton City Council, unofficial results show

Mark Hallam gets to keep his Ward 1 seat on the Newton City Council, according to the unofficial election results posted by the Jasper County Auditor’s Office. The race was marred with controversy after Hallam objected to candidate Julia Prendergast running due to signature errors and residency objections.

Out of a total of 504 valid votes, Hallam received 290 votes (57.54 percent), while Prendergast received 213 votes (42.26 percent).

Hallam said in a statement: “In what at times was a contentious election, I am pleased by the outcome in Ward 1. I have always prided myself on being accessible and dependable to residents of the City of Newton, and look forward to continuing that role for the next four years.”