One Murfreesboro incumbent ousted during Tuesday election

Published 5:01 pm Friday, November 5, 2021

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With the exception of a race for Murfreesboro Town Council, Tuesday’s election within Hertford County’s municipalities came and went without much political drama.

Eight candidates filed for the five seats on the Murfreesboro Town Council. According to the unofficial results, incumbents Jay Revelle (319 votes), Berna L. Stephens (305), David Brown (257), and Craig L. Dennis (233) were reelected. Political newcomer James (B.J.) Futrell Jr. received 252 votes to earn a seat on the Murfreesboro Council.

Rounding out the balloting were incumbent Sarah Whitley Wallace (193) along with Tim Flanagan and Peter B. Griffith, each with 74 votes.

Incumbent Murfreesboro Mayor Hal Thomas, who was unchallenged, earned another term after receiving 257 votes.

Meanwhile, the final outcome of the election for the five seats on the Winton Town Council will be determined by counting 181 write-in votes. Only three candidates filed for those five seats and on election day Stephen Piland received 87 votes followed closely by Blake Blythe (81) and Emily (Emy) Winstead (79).

Incumbent Winton Mayor Evans Heath was unchallenged and received 85 votes.

Other municipal elections in Hertford County ended with incumbents in control.

Cofield Mayor June S. Wynn earned 60 votes to return to office. She will be joined by Town Council members Stephen Lassiter (55 votes), Rhonda L. Taylor (54), Pamela Jones Winbourne (52), Dacia Jenkins (49), and Hermea Pugh Jr. (44).

Longtime Como Mayor Irvin L. Stephens Sr. was reelected to another term with 9 votes. The four incumbents on the Como Town Council also earned reelection: Susan W. Kennington and Sherrie H. Stephens with 10 votes each followed by Lorie Higbee (9), and Ann E. Spruill (8).

Harrellsville Mayor Henry Nuss was named on 16 ballots to gain another term in office. Harrellsville Town Council incumbents Emma Perry (20 votes), Ronnie Revell Sr. (19), Deborah Baker (14), Lisa Hunnicutt (14), and Thomas Grimes (13) were also reelected. Wiley B. Gillam III (11 votes) fell short in his bid to earn a seat on the Harrellsville Council.

All results are unofficial until the Hertford County Board of Elections conducts a canvass on Nov. 9.

The election for Ahoskie’s Ward A and Ward B along with one at-large seat is delayed until March 2022 due to legislation enacted June 28 by the North Carolina General Assembly. That was necessitated by the fact that because 2021 is a year following the federal census, some municipalities who elect officials by districts or wards must redistrict to correct population imbalances. Town of Ahoskie officials are currently in the process of redrawing the boundaries between Ward A and Ward B to correct a population imbalance.

 

 

About Cal Bryant

Cal Bryant, a 40-year veteran of the newspaper industry, serves as the Editor at Roanoke-Chowan Publications, publishers of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Gates County Index, and Front Porch Living magazine.

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