Duplin stays in Democrats' control
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on November 3, 2004 2:00 PM
KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County's board of commissioners remains firmly in the hands of Democrats, according to unofficial results.
The six-member board of all Democrats will have one new member.
Political newcomer David Fussell is the new county commissioner, replacing Myrle Beringer, according to unofficial election results.
Beringer, who is registered unaffiliated but who ran as a Republican, did not seek re-election.
Fussell, a Democrat and the son of veteran Duplin County Commissioner D.J. Fussell, who Beringer defeated in 2000 for the District 4 seat on the board, got 57 percent of the votes.
He received 1,622 votes unofficially, and his Republican challenger, Ray Garriss, received 1,199.
Official results will be announced after a canvass of all the votes, which will begin Tuesday.
Duplin Commissioner Reginald Wells, a Democrat, defeated his challenger, Sean Knowles, with 71 percent of the votes. Wells received 1,655, and Knowles received 675 votes.
Commissioner Chairman L.S. Guy of Faison and District 5 Commissioner Zettie Williams of Magnolia had no Republican challengers, and they will serve new four-year terms.
Also unopposed were the register of deeds, Davis Brinson, a Democrat; school board newcomer Willie H. Gillespie Jr. and incumbent school board members Reginald Kenan and Hubert E. Bowden, all Democrats.
Fussell has said he plans to push for a long- and short-term plan of where the county needs to be. He does not favor raising property taxes.