The canvass of Hyde County ballots from the May 8 primary changed some vote totals for some candidates, but it did not change results in the contests.

The Hyde County Board of Elections conducted the canvass Friday. The canvass looks at provisional ballots and absentee ballots that arrived in the mail after May 8. The board determines which provisional ballots and absentee ballots to approve.

James “Little Brother” Topping edged out Joseph “Joey” Williams in the Democratic primary to choose that party’s nominee to represent Swan Quarter Township on the Hyde County Board of Commissioners. As a result of the canvass, Topping picked up four additional votes, moving his vote total to 301 votes. Williams did not receive additional votes during the canvass.

Topping is unopposed in the Nov. 6 general election.

Incumbent Beverly Boswell held off a challenge from Bobby Haning in the Republican primary to choose that party’s nominee to represent House District 6 in the N.C. General Assembly. Boswell, in her first term, faces Democrat Theresa Strickler Judge in the general election.

As a result of the canvass, Haning picked up one additional vote, while Boswell’s vote total was unchanged at 146 votes.

Bob Steinburg defeated Clark Twiddy in the Republican primary to choose that party’s nominee to represent District 1 in the North Carolina Senate. Steinburg collected 6,760 votes in the district to Twiddy’s 4,894 votes. In Hyde County,

The canvass provided Twiddy with one more vote in Hyde County, but Steinburg’s vote total in Hyde County remained at 127 votes.

Steinburg moves on to the general election where he faces Democrat Cole Phelps, who faced no primary opposition.

Incumbent Walter B. Jones Jr. held off two challengers in the Republican primary to choose that party’s nominee to represent North Carolina’s 3^rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. In Hyde County after the canvass, Jones’ vote total increased by one vote to 80 votes. Challengers Phil Law and Scott Dacey gained no votes from the canvass, their vote totals in the county remaining at 74 votes and 73 votes, respectively.

Jones faces no opposition in the general election.

In local races in the upcoming general election, Hyde County voters will elect a clerk of Superior Court, a register of deeds, a sheriff, two county commissioners, three school board members, sanitary district supervisors and two soil and water conservation supervisors.

The Superior Court (2^nd Judicial District) seat held by Judge Wayland Sermons Jr. is available this election cycle, as are two of the four District Court judgeships in the 2^nd Judicial District. Superior Court judges serve eight-year terms. District Court judges serve four-year terms. Hyde County is in the 2^nd Judicial District.

The filing period for superior and district court candidates begins at noon June 18 and ends at noon June 29. This year, judicial candidates may file as unaffiliated without having to qualify through the petition process.