SALISBURY — Forty-seven mail-in absentee ballots and 22 provisional ballots have yet to be counted in Tuesday’s municipal elections, according to Laura Russell of the Rowan County Board of Elections.

Russell said more mail-in absentee ballots could come in.

The Board of Elections will continue receiving mailed ballots until 5 p.m. Monday as long as the envelopes are postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 7.

Uncounted ballots could have been submitted from any municipality, she said.

Russell said there’s “no way to know” if the uncounted ballots will change any of the unofficial election results that were tallied Tuesday.

Several local races could be affected by a swing of fewer than 20 votes.

In the Salisbury City Council race, top vote-getter Al Heggins finished 12 votes ahead of incumbent David Post in unofficial results Tuesday night.

Heggins had 2,152 votes and Post had 2,140 in the unofficial count.

The order of finish in that race has implications on who might become Salisbury’s next mayor.

The mayor would be elected by members of the new City Council, and by tradition, the top vote-getter is selected for that office.

Incumbent Mayor Karen Alexander finished third in Tuesday’s vote, with 1,768.

Tamara Sheffield had 1,758 and Brian Miller had 1,696 votes to claim the other two seats on the City Council, according to the unofficial returns.

In East Spencer, Phronice Johnson missed getting re-elected to the Board of Aldermen by 10 votes.

All uncounted ballots will be counted by 5 p.m. Tuesday. Results become final after the Board of Elections canvasses the ballots next Thursday.

Contact reporter Jessica Coates at 704-797-4222.