2025 Brunswick Election Results: New mayors in Southport and Oak Island, Leland council member replaced

Joe Pat Hatem has secured the mayor title in Southport again after losing to Rich Alt in 2023. (Port City Daily/Charlie Fossen)

BRUNSWICK COUNTY — The fourth largest county in the state and the fastest growing, Brunswick has around 19 municipalities that held elections this year — some of the outcomes are shaking up boards.

Many eyes have been on the Southport rematch among the mayors — current one Rich Alt versus former one Joe Pat Hatem. Two votes separated the two in 2023, however, this year there wasn’t that thin of a margin. Hatem has taken back his seat with 58.75% of the vote and Alt receiving 41.25%, according to unofficial results.

Votes still have to be canvassed by the county board of elections on Nov. 14.

Southport’s Board of Aldermen will keep two members on the board with Karen Mosteller and Robert Caroll as the top vote-getters for ward 1, with 27.59% and 25.71% respectively. However, Mike Crosbie is closely behind at 25.38%, meaning it could be within the margin for a recount request.

According to state statute, a candidate can request a recount if the difference between the votes for that candidate and the votes for a prevailing candidate is not more than 1% of the total votes cast.

Paul Gross is taking Southport ward 2 seat with 42.62% against Bonnie Bray’s 39.30%.

In Leland, two council seats were up for grabs with Frank Pendleton securing 30.61% of the votes and Leland Hyer at 25.21%. Closely behind was sitting council member Bill McHugh, who hoped to retain his seat but lost with 23.39%.

Neighboring Navassa will have its third-ever mayor as Eulis Willis didn’t seek re-election after having served the position since 1999. Rose Terry (42.52%) beat out Jerry Merrick (32.28%) and Ernest (Big Mo) Mooring Jr. (25.20%).

Oak Island also has a new mayor this year also, in a tight race between Christopher Brown and Liz White — the latter of whom has served the town since 2019 as council member before becoming mayor in 2021. Brown eked out the win with 49.70% to White’s 47.84%.

OKI council will have two new board members in Chasey Bynum (23.25%) and Tommy Brown (21.66%).

Port City Daily regularly covers Southport, Leland and Oak Island, though other municipalities also had council and mayoral elections, as did the Dosher Hospital Board of Trustees and H2GO sanitary district. With 26 precincts reporting, 22.51% of voters — or 19,851 out of 88,174 — beat 2023’s 11.84% turnout.

Below are the initial results for all Brunswick County 2025 elections:

Bald Head Island Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Peter C. Quinn	159	56.99%
Scott Thomas	120	43.01%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Bald Head Island Council

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Jesse Hermann	193	36.42%
* Slaughter Fitz-Hugh	174	32.83%
Debra Drumheller	82	15.47%
Andrew R. Hano, Sr.	81	15.28%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Belville Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Chuck Bost	179	67.29%
Nia Moore	87	32.71%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Belville Commissioner

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Ryan E. Merrill	214	50.71%
* Hunter Smith III	208	49.29%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Boiling Spring Lakes Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Jeff Winecoff	583	55.26%
Michael T. Ellis	472	44.74%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Boiling Spring Lakes Commissioner

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Kim Sherwood	547	27.64%
* Todd Ausborn	519	26.23%
Ernie Siriani	512	25.87%
David Mammay	401	20.26%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Bolivia Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Nancy B. Cook		14	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Bolivia Aldermen

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Dewey Smith	14	28.00%
* Jonathan Hayes	13	26.00%
* Melissa Kay Walters	12	24.00%
* Hannah Hrvol	11	22.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Calabash Commissioner

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Shaun Bellamy	95	33.93%
* Bill Wilharm	95	33.93%
* Frank J. Strungis	90	32.14%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Carolina Shores Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Dan Conte		591	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Carolina Shores Commissioner

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Debbie Watts	507	39.55%
* Jeff Alt	273	21.29%
Jack Brinson	229	17.86%
Andrew Davis	198	15.44%
Walter Goodenough	75	5.85%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Caswell Beach Commissioner

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Kathleen Berry	117	32.59%
* Martha (Marty) Dollinger	89	24.79%
Connie Silverstein	86	23.96%
Thomas L. Jarvis	67	18.66%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Holden Beach Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* J. Alan Holden	394	69.61%
* Mike Felmly	172	30.39%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Holden Beach Commissioner

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Sylvia Pate	337	30.31%
* Keith Smith	306	27.52%
Chad Hock	235	21.13%
Maria Surprise	234	21.04%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Leland Council

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Frank Pendleton	3,142	30.61%
* Leland Hyer	2,588	25.21%
Bill McHugh	2,401	23.39%
Susan Waleed	1,763	17.17%
Edgar Robbins	371	3.61%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Navassa Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Rose Terry	162	42.52%
Jerry L. Merrick	123	32.28%
Ernest (Big Mo) Mooring, Jr.	96	25.20%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Navassa Commissioner District 1

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Wanda Jones Willis	217	33.70%
* Craig Suggs	145	22.52%
Ida White Dixon	111	17.24%
Marcell Hatten	99	15.37%
Tony Burgess	72	11.18%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Northwest Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Sheila Grady	186	84.16%
James A. Knox	35	15.84%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Northwest Council District 1

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Veronica Edge		200	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Northwest Council District 2

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Alexis Grainger Clemmons		196	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Northwest Council District 4

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Chip Carroll		185	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Oak Island Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Christopher Brown	1,551	49.70%
Liz White	1,493	47.84%
Douglas James DeArros	77	2.47%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Oak Island Council

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Chasey Bynum	1,391	23.25%
* Tommy Brown	1,296	21.66%
Scott Stephenson	1,175	19.64%
Kerri McCullough	1,024	17.12%
Chip Frazier	765	12.79%
Reece Simmons	332	5.55%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Ocean Isle Beach Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Debbie Smith		255	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Ocean Isle Beach Commissioner

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Mark Robertson	230	37.89%
* Wayne Rowell	209	34.43%
Polly Bristow	168	27.68%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Sandy Creek Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Mel Miller		25	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Sandy Creek Council

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Johnna Dodrill	26	57.78%
Austin Lentz	19	42.22%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Sandy Creek Council Unexpired

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Rebecca Wilkins		23	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Shallotte Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Art Dornfeld	331	57.07%
Walter Eccard	249	42.93%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Shallotte Aldermen

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* James (Jimmy) Bellamy	399	51.09%
* Eugene (Gene) Vasile	382	48.91%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Southport Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Joe Pat Hatem	1,208	58.75%
Rich Alt	848	41.25%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Southport Aldermen Ward 1

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Karen Mosteller	987	27.59%
* Robert Carroll	920	25.71%
Mike Crosbie	908	25.38%
David Miller	763	21.32%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Southport Aldermen Ward 2

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Paul Gross	860	42.62%
Bonnie L. Bray	793	39.30%
Nelson E. Adams	365	18.09%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

St. James Council

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Jim Board	1,069	24.61%
* Bill A. Miller	895	20.60%
* Dennis Barclay	893	20.56%
Jeffery Lewis	625	14.39%
Ray R. Irvin	576	13.26%
Peter Cudlip	286	6.58%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Sunset Beach Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Shannon (Hot Dog) Phillips	1,321	70.72%
Nicholas Peters	547	29.28%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Sunset Beach Council

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Katie Bordeaux	1,482	30.52%
* Sean Arnold	1,127	23.21%
* William Brougham	896	18.45%
Richard Dysinger	684	14.09%
Gerard (Gerry) Byrnes	667	13.74%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Sunset Beach Council Unexpired

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Christie Batchelor	1,264	67.81%
Michael Hargreaves	600	32.19%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Varnamtown Mayor

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Gary R. Galloway, Jr.		40	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Varnamtown Aldermen

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Lori Galloway	37	58.73%
* Jeremy R. Ridenhour	26	41.27%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Brunswick Water and Sewer H2GO District 2

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* John K. Clark		4,347	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Brunswick Water and Sewer H2GO District 3

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* John Pascoe		4,294	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Brunswick Water and Sewer H2GO District 4

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Ronnie Jenkins		4,425	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Dosher Hospital Board of Trustees

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Debbie Wood	3,683	31.41%
* Robert Howard	3,060	26.10%
* Jwantana Gardner Frink	2,879	24.55%
Andrew Boyd	2,103	17.94%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Southeast Brunswick Sanitary District

NAME ON BALLOT	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Bill Hurcomb	299	34.21%
* Bob Lloyd	288	32.95%
* Bob Jarvis	287	32.84%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)	0	0.00%

Southeast Brunswick Sanitary District Unexpired

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
* Scott Monticelli		336	100.00%
Write-In (Miscellaneous)		0	0.00%

Holden Beach Public Improvement Bond Referendum

NAME ON BALLOT	PARTY	BALLOT COUNT	PERCENT
No		351	62.46%
Yes		211	37.54%

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