The Palm Beach County Elections Office announced March 19 that the voting machines used in the March 13 Wellington, Fla., municipal election incorrectly tabulated the votes, resulting in two incorrect winners.

Shauna Hostetler and Al Paglia were announced as winners in the race for town council following the election on March 13 and certified with the state on Friday, March 16.

In a standard audit on March 19, the Elections Office found that John Greene and Matt Willhite received more votes than Hostetler and Paglia, respectively. The audit also showed that newly appointed mayor Bob Margolis won by a smaller margin, only 50.6 percent of the vote, than originally announced to overtake incumbent Darell Bowen.

According to Paul Neaville of the Taxpayers for Integrity in Government, because the results already were certified to the state, Greene and Willhite might need to challenge the results in court. Neaville said Hostetler and Paglia might step aside.

According to the Palm Beach Post, election officials threw out the March 13 results but are unsure how to proceed. They blame the software and no person or group for the tabulation error.

On March 20, Willhite sued the Village of Wellington Canvassing Board to overturn the March 13 results in the Palm Beach County Circuit Court.

The election saw record turnout, and the campaign focused heavily on the potential Equestrian Village development by the Wellington Equestrian Partners to attract additional equestrian events to the area. The development, which would include a condo/hotel and retail shopping, is opposed by Margolis, Willhite and Greene on the basis that it would lower property values and contribute to additional traffic congestion.