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LEXINGTON, N.C. -- The battle over whether several areas surrounding the city of Lexington will remain annexed continues Friday at the Davidson County Board of Elections. The city is contesting a recent vote by neighbors living in the annexed area.

When this annexation battle started about five years ago, both sides settled in for a long fight and that's just what happened.

Most recently, legislation passed over the summer allows residents in the contested areas to vote on whether or not they'd like to be annexed. The group needed at least 60 percent to stop the annexation. Lexington neighbors voted on the annexation back in December. The Board of Elections counted the votes with representatives from both sides watching.

City attorney's argued some of the ballots were not signed correctly and therefore should not be counted.

“This board considered a host of petitions, where in the petitions names were different but did not include a notarized statement or the signor and did not include the appropriate evidence,” said Anthony Fox, an attorney representing the city

Neighbors won their battle not to be annexed with a 77 percent of neighbors wanting it terminated. City leaders, however, are contesting the results. They say some of the signatures on the petitions were not authentic.

“I wanted it to be this way, and I am happy that it turned out to be this way,” said homeowner John Frank.

The Board of Elections will meet Friday to discuss the city's protest to the election.