NEW HANOVER COUNTY — With precinct numbers not being reported until just before midnight, the preliminary results are in for New Hanover County local races.
And the numbers are close.
All six commissioner candidates are separated by narrow margins, many by a percentage point or less, as are New Hanover County Board of Education candidates.
According to state statue, a losing candidate has the right to demand a recount of votes if the disparity between the prevailer’s turnout is no more than 1% of the total vote.
On the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners, Republican incumbents Bill Rivenbark and Dane Scalise will keep their seats according to early results, securing 17.25% and 16.87% of the vote respectively.
Democratic challenger Stephanie Walker, who is exiting the school board this year, narrowly beat out Jonathan Barfield Jr. by 0.07% — or 249 votes.
The school board has three seats open; in addition to Walker leaving, Republican Stephanie Kraybill and Democrat Hugh McManus did not seek re-election.
Coming out on top of that race are two Democrats, former school board member Judy Justice and Tim Merrick, as well as Republican David Perry. Justice had 17.42% of the vote, followed by Merrick with 16.92% and Perry securing 16.71%.
However, all votes still have to be canvassed to certify the election by Nov. 15. This includes counting more ballots; the state board of elections noted in a release Tuesday that 98% of ballots are counted on election night.
The election results on Tuesday do not include absentee ballots received on Election Day and will be assessed during the 10-day canvass period. The Election Night total also does not include military and overseas-citizen absentee ballots, allowed to arrive to the county board of elections offices from Election Day through Nov. 14 at 5 p.m.
Provisional ballots — those cast by voters who didn’t have an ID, for example — also have to be investigated to ensure eligibility before being counted.
According to the state board, 136,790 out of 189,478 voters in the county cast ballots.
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Rivenbark | REP | 61,916 | 17.25% |
| Dane Scalise | REP | 60,559 | 16.87% |
| Stephanie Walker | DEM | 60,306 | 16.80% |
| Jonathan Barfield, Jr. | DEM | 60,057 | 16.73% |
| John Hinnant | REP | 58,445 | 16.28% |
| Cassidy Santaguida | DEM | 57,652 | 16.06% |
| NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION (VOTE FOR 3) Precincts Reported: 41 of 41 | View Contest Details | ||
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judy Justice | DEM | 62,631 | 17.42% |
| Tim Merrick | DEM | 60,830 | 16.92% |
| David Perry | REP | 60,069 | 16.71% |
| Jerry Jones, Jr. | DEM | 59,447 | 16.53% |
| Nikki M. Bascome | REP | 59,058 | 16.43% |
| Natosha Tew | REP | 57,517 | 16.00% |
| NEW HANOVER COUNTY REGISTER OF DEEDS (VOTE FOR 1) Precincts Reported: 41 of 41 | View Contest Details | ||
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morghan Getty Collins | REP | 65,732 | 51.10% |
| April Farr | DEM | 62,911 | 48.90% |
| NEW HANOVER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT SUPERVISOR (VOTE FOR 1) Precincts Reported: 41 of 41 | View Contest Details | ||
| NAME ON BALLOT | PARTY | BALLOT COUNT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Collogan | 61,996 | 68.01% | |
| Jeremy Tominack | 26,353 | 28.91% | |
| Write-In (Miscellaneous) | 2,807 | 3.08% |
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