Scotland Neck, N.C. — Three candidates have filed protests to election results in the Halifax County town of Scotland neck.

Mayoral candidates Raymond Watson and John Mills and commissioner candidate Kenneth Branch allege that provisional ballots were accepted from voters living outside the town limits.

In the initial count, Watson defeated Mills, and Branch fell just three votes shy of winning a seat on the town council.

The board of elections is examining the ballots. They will meet Monday to decide what to do about the protest. The board could choose to order a new election, hold a recount or throw out the provisional ballots.