Updates on Close Election Races

Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain

Story by Anna Oakes

Two weeks ago in our election coverage, we noted a couple of close races—in Beech Mountain and in Sugar Mountain—where the recounting of ballots and counting of provisional ballots could have changed the unofficial election results.

The Election Canvass took place November 10, and all results are now official.

In Beech Mountain, nine provisional ballots were counted, but the results are the same—challengers Cindy Keller, Paul Piquet and E. (Rick) Miller have won seats on the Town Council, with 92, 91 and 72 total votes, respectively. Incumbents Gil Adams, Peter Chamberlin and Randy Corn were ousted.

In Sugar Mountain, the unofficial election results yielded a tie for second place in the Village Council race between incumbent Bill Schmitt and Marjory Unrath. Louise Anderson was the leading vote-getter in the race for two open seats, with 65 votes, followed by Schmitt and Unrath with 64 each.

A recount held November 9 did not change the vote totals. Avery County Board of Elections officials did not have to flip a coin to determine the winner of the second seat, however, because Unrath submitted a letter conceding the race to Schmitt.