By Staff
From school boards to local judgeships, voters make choices
By MIKE VOSS
Contributing Editor
Although elections for president, governor and the U.S. Senate attracted most of Beaufort County voters’ attention on Election Day, there were other races in which those voters marked ballots.
That was true in other area counties, too.
State Rep. Arthur Williams, a Democrat who represents the 6th District in the N.C. House of Representatives, was unopposed in his re-election bid for another two-year term. Williams collected 15,569 votes in Beaufort County, which had 23,198 of its 32,139 registered voters mark ballots this election cycle. Williams collected 9,265 votes in Pitt County.
The 6th District includes all of Beaufort County and part of Pitt County.
State Sen. Marc Basnight, a Democrat who represents the 1st District in the state Senate, collected 15,685 votes in Beaufort County, part of the district. Throughout the district, Basnight, president pro tempore of the state Senate, tallied 61,805 votes. He was unopposed.
Jennifer Leggett Whitehurst, the Republican incumbent register of deeds, was unopposed in her re-election bid for another four-year term. She collected 14,730 votes.
District Court Judge Chris McLendon, who serves in the 2nd Judicial District, was unopposed in his effort to keep his seat. McLendon collected 14,006 votes in Beaufort County. It was McLendon’s first election, having been appointed to his judgeship by Gov. Mike Easley.
District Court Judge Michael Paul was unopposed in his re-election bid. Paul, who also serves in the 2nd Judicial District, tallied 14,474 votes in Beaufort County.
Tracy Warren was unopposed in his bid for another term as a Beaufort County Soil and Water Conversation district supervisor. He collected 14,756 votes.
In Hyde County, Anson Byrd, a Democrat, was unopposed in his bid to win the Fairfield Township District seat on the Hyde County Board of Commissioners. He collected 1,954 votes.
Democrat Sharon Spencer was unopposed in her bid to win the Lake Landing Township District seat on the Board of Commissioners. She tallied 1,967 votes.
In Hyde County, 2,475 voters of the county’s 3,701 registered voters marked ballots this election cycle.
McLendon picked up 1,335 votes in Hyde County, with Paul collecting 1,496 votes in the district court-judge elections in the 2nd Judicial District.
Darren Armstrong was unopposed in his bid for a term as a Hyde County Soil and Water Conversation district supervisor. He collected 1,575 votes.
Scott Bradley and Robert J. Touhey won seats as Ocracoke Sanitary District supervisors, with Bradley collecting 319 votes and Touhey picking up 266 votes.
Wayne Hodges, who collected 114 votes, won a seat as a Swan Quarter Sanitary District supervisor.
Timothy Spear, the Washington County Democrat who represents the 2nd District in the state House, was successful in his re-election bid. He collected 1,626 votes in Hyde County. Republican challenger Chris East received 641 votes in Hyde County. Libertarian challenger Jesse Mignogna garnered 50 votes in Hyde County.
In Washington County, Spear received 5,437 votes in his bid to return to the state House. East collected 907 votes, with Mignogna picking up 54 votes.
Democrat Jane D. Alexander was unopposed in her bid for the District 1 seat on the Washington County Board of Commissioners. She collected 1,245 votes.
Democrat C.E. “Buster” Manning Jr. was unopposed in his bid for the District 4 seat on the Board of Commissioners. He received 1,481 votes.
Elaine G. Vann, a Democrat, was unopposed in her bid to remain as the county’s register of deeds. She received 5,496 votes.
Democrat Wallace L. Collins received 4,995 votes in his bid to win the District 1 seat on the Washington County Board of Education.
Democrat Mary Palin Hill defeated Republican Chris Hassell for the District 3 seat on the school board. She received 3,820 votes, while Hassell tallied 2,327 votes.
McLendon received 3,572 votes in Washington County, with Paul collecting 3,700 votes in the district court-judge elections for the 2nd Judicial District.
Mike Martin was unopposed in his run to for a seat as a Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor. He collected 3,922 votes.
Washington County saw 6,348 of its 9,075 registered voters mark ballots this election cycle.
In Martin County, Clark Jenkins, the incumbent Democrat who represents District 3 in the state Senate, was unopposed in his re-election bid. He collected 9,866 votes in the county, which saw 12,559 of its 18,222 registered voters mark ballots this election cycle.
Democrat Edith D. Warren, unopposed in her run to represent District 8 in the state House, collected 10,057 votes in the county.
In the race for the two Eastern District seats on the Martin County Board of Commissioners, Democrat Tommy W. Bowen and Derek Price (unaffiliated) appeared to be successful. Bowen tallied 5,695 votes. Price collected 3,724 votes.
Elmo “Butch” Lilley, a Democrat, collected 3,601 votes. Democrat Willis E. Williams received 3,116 votes, Republican Sheri G. Copeland tallied 2,202 votes, and Jeff Lewis (unaffiliated) picked up 2,076 votes.
Incumbent Register of Deeds Tina P. Manning, a Democrat, was unopposed in her re-election bid. She collected 10,419 votes.
McLendon received 7,338 votes in Martin County, with Paul collecting 7,467 votes in the district court-judge elections for the 2nd Judicial District.
Kenneth Harrell won the District 3 seat on the Martin County Board of Education with 1,071 votes, defeating Helen G. Davis, who tallied 681 votes.
Moses Matthews, unopposed for the District 5 seat on the school board, received 1,083 votes.
Van Heath, who ran unopposed for the District 7 seat on the school board, collected 1,493 votes.
In the race to become a Martin County Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor, Ricky Cannon defeated Billy Modlin. Cannon collected 5,370 votes to Modlin’s 3,488 votes.