VIDALIA — The second-place finisher in Saturday’s race for Vidalia Alderman District 2 said Monday he’s carefully considering what he might do in light of the race that was decided by six votes.

Raymond Murray, who finished behind Robert Gardner’s 198 votes with 192 votes, said he has heard some reports of people voting in the election who did not live in the district.

“I’m really researching my options to see what can or can’t be done,” he said. “I’ve got to see how many people are involved in it first.”

Gardner said Monday he believes everything with the election was “fair and square” and that any reports of inappropriate votes were based on lies.

“It was all in God’s hands, and he allowed the best winner to win,” he said. “I think (Murray) has got to come to the realization that it was fair and square.”

For the moment, Murray said his research means going through the voter rolls and trying to identify people who may have cast ballots who don’t live in District 2, in particular those who haven’t voted in the district in 10 years. Murray said he’s found one instance of someone who appears to live in Texas who voted in the election.

But Murray said he also doesn’t want to put a town that he feels has already been through the wringer through something else that might divide it.

“I have got to decide what is best for me and best for Vidalia, and sometimes that isn’t the same thing,” he said.

Gardner and Murray were in a runoff Saturday after having previously bested the long-term incumbent for the District 2 seat, Vernon Stevens, in March.