Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

Official Primary Results Released—Election Numbers Stand

Story by Sam Calhoun

The official primary results for Watauga and Avery county are now tallied, with no major changes to report.

After the statewide canvass, the number of ballots cast in North Carolina on May 6 was 2,118,264, representing a voter turnout of 36.45 percent. In Watauga County, voter turnout was 30.08 percent. In Avery County, it was 39.37 percent.

Official results-wise, presidential contender Barak Obama carried Watauga County and North Carolina, but Avery County went for Hillary Clinton.

In the U.S. Senate race, NC Senator Kay Hagan and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole won big in their respective primaries. The two will face off in November in a contest for Dole’s senate seat.

In Congressional District 10, Republican Patrick McHenry racked up an impressive win against his primary opponent Lance Sigmon, winning 73 percent of Avery County’s vote and 67 percent districtwide.

One of the closest contests is for Congressional District 5. Unofficial results had Democrat Roy Carter narrowly defeating his opponent Diane Hamby, and those numbers stood after a partial canvass. Districtwide, Carter took 50.31 percent of the vote to Hamby’s 49.69 percent. According to Watauga County Board of Elections Director Jane Ann Hodges, Forsyth County—part of Congressional District 5—was not able to complete its canvass as of press time because of an exorbitant amount of absentee ballots that needed to be counted. Therefore, the outcome of the contest for Congressional District 5 will not be known until official vote counts come out of Forsyth County.

In the governor race, gubernatorial race results in both Watauga and Avery county mirrored the state results, with Democrat Bev Perdue and Republican Pat McCray winning in both counties.

For lieutenant governor, Democrat Walter Dalton will face Republican Robert Pittenger in November. Those candidates carried Watauga and Avery.
In the Democratic primary for state auditor, Beth Wood defeated Fred Aikens, carrying 65 percent of the statewide vote, as well as majorities in Watauga and Avery.

In the Democratic primary for commissioner of insurance, Wayne Godwin defeated David Smith with 56.09 percent of the vote. Smith carried Avery County, but Godwin took Watauga.

The Democratic primary for commissioner of labor was too close to call after the primary. After canvass, though, Mary Fant Donnan captured 27.55 percent of the vote, defeating Ty Richardson, Robin Anderson and John C. Brooks.

Democratic incumbent June St. Clair Atkinson will face Republican Richard Morgan in November for the superintendent of public instruction seat. Atkinson won in both Watauga and Avery, and while Watauga went for Morgan, voters in Avery gave the county win to Joe Johnson.

In the Democratic primary for state treasurer, Janet Cowell defeated Michael Weisel and David Young. Cowell won the majority in both Watauga and Avery.
Jerry Butler, Republican candidate for NC Senate, lost his home county of Watauga, but won districtwide over challenger Dwight Shook.

In Watauga County, Tim Futrelle handily defeated challenger Doug McGuinn in the race for the District 1 seat on the county commission.

The top three vote-getters in the commissioners’ race in Avery were Martha Jaynes Hicks, Scott Heath and Phyllis Forbes. Tammy Baker easily won the Register of Deeds primary, and the top three vote-getters in the Avery Board of Education primary were Jamie Johnson, John Greene and Kathey Aldridge.