NATCHEZ &045;&045; Wednesday’s certification of votes in the mayoral election was, in a way, a replay of the Tuesday election itself &045;&045; with Phillip West winning over Sue Stedman by 100 votes.

&uot;I guess I need to be proud &045;&045; 100 is a perfect grade,&uot; West said after the results were tallied. But more than anything, West said, &uot;I’m just relieved to have it over with.&uot;

West, a Democrat, ran against Stedman, a Republican, and Richard Branyan, an independent, in the general election for mayor.

Wednesday’s certified numbers showed West with 3,515 votes, Stedman with 3,415 and Branyan with 227.

That compares with 3,457 for West, 3,357 for Stedman and 224 for Branyan in unofficial numbers Tuesday night.

Stedman could not be reached for comment after certification was completed Wednesday.

For Stedman to contest the election, she would have to first request a review of the ballot boxes from the City Clerk’s Office.

If she was not satisfied after the review, she could file a petition to contest the review in Adams County Circuit Court, with the Supreme Court appointing a judge to hear the case.

The deadlines Stedman would need to meet to contest the election were not clear as of Wednesday.

But first, Stedman &uot;would have to have grounds to contest it,&uot; Larry Gardner, chairman of the Municipal Election Commission.

Meanwhile, what’s next for West? For one thing, he must hand in his resignation letter to the Governor’s Office to vacate his seat in the state House of Representatives.

West, who starts his term July 1, said he plans to resign in seven to 10 days, &uot;enough to tie up some loose ends at the Capitol, … clear out my desk, things like that.&uot;

Once that is done, Gov. Haley Barbour can set a date for special election to fill West’s District 94 seat.

West said that, as of Wednesday, he had not had a chance to formulate his transition plans but would do so in the next couple of days.