NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Though final results will be canvassed by the county elections board Nov. 14, early results indicate Wilmington’s city council has three new members, while the mayoral seat remains the status quo.
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Mayor Bill Saffo will serve his 10th term leading Wilmington, with three new council members winning the three open seats. Incumbents Luke Waddell (15.33%) and Mayor Pro Tim Clifford Barnett (9.64%) lost their bids to JC Lyle (17.22%), Cassidy Santaguida (16.78%) and Chakema Clinton-Quintana (16.63%). Current council member Charlie Rivenbark did not seek re-election.
At the Democratic watch party at Tempo 33 on Tuesday, Waddell, a Republican, approached the three top candidates with just more than 80% of precincts reporting.
“I just wanted to come congratulate these ladies up here — it looked pretty obvious to me,” he told Port City Daily as the numbers were unfolding.
Though the election is nonpartisan, with Waddell and Rivenbark out, the new makeup of the seven-member board is wholly Democratic.
Saffo (49.09%) faced two opponents this year in former New Hanover County commissioner Jonathan Barfield Jr. (20.57%) and newcomer Billy Craig (30.09%).
While many eyes were on Wilmington’s races, Wrightsville Beach aldermen also endured a close finish line. Hank Miller, who has served three four-years terms, was ousted by Margaret Baggett (26.81%) and Todd Schoen (25.66%). Miller received 24.78% of the vote, meaning he could request a recount, as state statue allows it if the disparity between the prevailer’s turnout is no more than 1% of the total vote.
Carolina Beach Mayor Lynn Barbee will maintain his seat, scoring 76.58% of the vote against challenger Youssef Hason (21.11%). Two new council members, Wayne Rouse and Vincent Losito, are taking over from Joe Benson and Mike Hoffer, who didn’t seek re-election.
In Kure Beach, Byron Ashbridge and Mark Dirks secured favorability, with 49.51% and 41.26%, respectively.
All 30 precincts are reporting 26.78% of voters — or 27,686 out of 103,402 registered — cast ballots during the municipal election countywide. This outpaces 2023’s municipal election numbers of 11.83% of voters participating.
Below are the initial results for all New Hanover County municipalities in the 2025 election:
Carolina Beach Mayor
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Lynn Barbee | 1,092 | 76.58% | |
| Youssef Hassan | 301 | 21.11% | |
| Write-In (Miscellaneous) | 33 | 2.31% |
Carolina Beach Council
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Wayne Rouse | 1,122 | 49.91% | |
| * Vince Losito | 1,041 | 46.31% | |
| Write-In (Miscellaneous) | 85 | 3.78% |
Kure Beach Mayor
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Allen Oliver | 432 | 96.64% | |
| Write-In (Miscellaneous) | 15 | 3.36% |
Kure Beach Council
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Byron Ashbridge | 385 | 44.41% | |
| * Mark Dirks | 358 | 41.29% | |
| Tracy Mitchell | 118 | 13.61% | |
| Write-In (Miscellaneous) | 6 | 0.69% |
Wilmington Mayor
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Bill Saffo | 12,093 | 49.09% | |
| Billy Craig | 7,411 | 30.09% | |
| Jonathan Barfield, Jr. | 5,067 | 20.57% | |
| Write-In (Miscellaneous) | 62 | 0.25% |
Wilmington Council
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| * JC Lyle | 11,875 | 17.22% | |
| * Cassidy Santaguida | 11,568 | 16.78% | |
| * Chakema Clinton-Quintana | 11,464 | 16.63% | |
| Luke Waddell | 10,571 | 15.33% | |
| Richard M. Collier | 9,350 | 13.56% | |
| Clifford D. Barnett | 6,647 | 9.64% | |
| Kelly J. Roberts, Jr. | 6,506 | 9.44% | |
| Sean Guerrero | 777 | 1.13% | |
| Write-In (Miscellaneous) | 191 | 0.28% |
Wrightsville Beach Mayor
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKinley (Ken) Dull | 733 | 91.97% | |
| Write-In (Miscellaneous) | 64 | 8.03% |
Wrightsville Beach Aldermen
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Margaret E. Baggett | 490 | 26.81% | |
| * Todd Schoen | 469 | 25.66% | |
| Hank Miller | 453 | 24.78% | |
| David Wortman | 356 | 19.47% | |
| Lee Williams | 58 | 3.17% | |
| Write-In (Miscellaneous) | 2 | 0.11% |
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