Few voters cast ballots Tuesday
By From staff reports
Published in News on November 9, 2011 1:46 PM
Wayne County had its smallest election in recent memory as only 4.44 percent of the eligible voters came out to the polls. But that was in large part because the county's biggest municipalities -- Goldsboro, Mount Olive and Fremont -- were forced to move their elections to May 2012 because of redistricting delays.
Voting occurred only in Pikeville, Eureka, Seven Springs, Walnut Creek and in four of the county's sanitary districts.
In Pikeville, where three town board of commissioners seats were up, Robert Hooks (23.15 percent), Charles Hooks (23.65 percent) and Todd Anderson (22.66 percent) were the top voter getters. Tom Evans, however, came in a close fourth at 21.18 percent and could request a recount within two business days of the official canvass, which is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 15. Both Robert and Charles Hooks are new board members. Anderson was an incumbent.
In Seven Springs, mayor pro-tem Alan Cash, running unopposed, was elected mayor with 12 total votes -- 63.16 percent of those cast. The rest went to write-in candidates. In the commissioner race, Bobby Mozingo was re-elected as a town commissioner with 11 votes -- 27.50 percent of those cast. The rest also went to write-in candidates, the closest of whom received eight.
In Walnut Creek, three councilmen were elected -- incumbent Greg Ricker (27.84 percent), David "Stoney" Sloan (25.70 percent) and incumbent Tom Shaw (23.34 percent). Incumbent Danny Jackson came in fourth with 20.56 percent.
In Eureka, where no candidate officially declared for the ballot, all the votes cast were write-ins. Currently, explained county Board of Elections Director Vickie Reed, her office is working to make sure the three men elected are eligible. But, she said, unofficially, the three men who were elected are Louis Massey with 28 write-in votes, incumbent Malcom Finley with 27, and Billy Davis with 26.
In the sanitary district elections, incumbent David Jackson (46.92 percent) and incumbent Andy Hartley (38.46 percent) were elected to the Fork Township board.
In the Northwestern Wayne district, five board members were elected -- incumbent George Wayne Aycock Jr. (20.49 percent), incumbent Walter F. Bridgers (19.26 percent), incumbent James S. Kirby (17.83 percent), incumbent William "Bill" Lynch (17.42 percent) and Danny K. Tillman (12.09 percent).
In the Southern Wayne district, three board members were elected -- incumbent William "Bill" Harrell (26.17 percent), Marty Shaw (23.15 percent) and incumbent Scott T. Ingram (20.13 percent). Incumbent C.R. "Chet" Whitman received 10.40 percent of the vote.
In the Southwestern Wayne district, five board members were elected -- incumbent Jimmy B. Cox (19.84 percent), incumbent Alan Lumpkin (19.84 percent), Daryll Overton (19.69 percent), incumbent David A. Bennett (18.59 percent) and incumbent Gail Minchew (17.50 percent).
"All in all, from a staff point of view, everything went well," Ms. Reed said.
Even the new on-site voter registration database system -- allowing poll workers to check voter registration on laptops instead of the familiar, over-sized books -- worked well in all 10 precincts.