47 votes didn't count in Southern Shores council contest

OBX Alert says 47 votes were thrown out in the Kowalski/McDonald contest and because Kowalkski won by 28 votes the discounted votes might have changed the outcome.
My guess is that those were write-ins for Kowalski that weren't properly filled in.

Looks like he still won:

"George Kowalski's unprecendted write-in victory Tuesday over Councilman Brian McDonald was by only two votes rather than 28, according to Dare County Board of Elections director Melva Garrison.

The final unofficial tally, she said Friday, was 495 votes for Kowalski, 493 for McDonald following a vote-by-vote analysis of the write-ins, some of which were rejected because they were illegible or improperly cast.

"We will certify Kowalski," Garrison said, adding that McDonald will have until 5 p.m. next Thursday to formally request a recount. The Board of Elections will meet at 11 a.m. Tuesday to canvas and then certify the results of the past Tuesday's municipal elections."