NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Tuesday’s recount for the New Hanover Board of County Commissioners race will be delayed, possibly until later this week.
On Monday night, Elections Director Derek Bowens emailed the media saying the local recount was being canceled under the guidance of the North Carolina Board of Elections. The state board held an emergency meeting on Sunday regarding the recount of the governor’s race, particularly in Durham County. It opted to ask for more information before moving forward with a recount.
Bowens indicated the local board does not want to perform two recounts.
Related story: Julia Boseman calls for recount in close New Hanover County Board of Commissioners race
“The state indicated to all counties that they are unable to conjoin our local recount with a potential statewide recount,” Bowens wrote. “To avoid conducting two recounts, the Board will wait until the state determines if a statewide recount is mandatory.”
The state board is expected to meet again on Thursday, Dec. 1.
Attorney General Roy Cooper, the presumed governor-elect, leads Governor Pat McCrory by over 9,000 votes statewide.
Locally, a tight Board of Commissioner’s race was upheld by last week’s canvass, but the race did become closer.
Between Election Day and Tuesday’s canvass, Democrat Jonathan Barfield pulled ahead of Republican Patricia Kusek by a slim margin of 53 votes. Democrat Julia Boseman and Republican Derrick Hickey placed fourth and fifth in the race, trailing Kusek by 364 and 430 votes respectively. Woody White, with a lead of 3,405 votes over Barfield, is least likely to be affected by a recount.
