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Two incumbent members of the Gates County Board of Education emerged victorious over their respective challengers during Tuesday’s Primary Election.

According to the unofficial results of this non-partisan race, veteran School Board member Leslie Byrum easily defeated Phil A. Kiver, 1,318-313, to earn another term as the District 5 representative.

In District 1, incumbent Sallie J. Ryan won handily over Charlie Scott, 1,263-368.

The closest battle came in District 3 where Ronnie L. Riddick edged past Rose Lee Taylor, 925-722. Those two candidates were vying to replace retiring School Board member and current vice-chair Glendale Boone.

Byrum and Ryan topped the balloting in each of the county’s six voting precincts.

In the race between Riddick and Taylor, each candidate led the balloting in three precincts. Riddick captured Gates, Gatesville, and Sunbury (4 South) while Taylor led the way in Eure, Corapeake (4 North) and Hobbsville.

The only other county-level race on Tuesday’s Primary ballot was to determine the Democratic nominee for the Gates District on the Board of Commissioners.

In that race, political newcomer Brian Keith Rountree defeated incumbent Ray Freeman, 726-495. Rountree, who only captured one precinct (Gates) on election day, won this race during the 14-day One-Stop (early voting) process where he held a 415-151 advantage.

Freeman topped Tuesday’s voting in five precincts, with his largest margin coming in Eure (88-29).

With no Republican or Unaffiliated filings for the District 3 Commissioner’s seat, Rountree advances to November’s General Election where he faces no opposition.