Meggan Smith
Robbinsville – In overwhelming fashion, Graham County voters spent the last 2 ½ weeks frequenting the polls.
Of 6,262 registered voters in the county, 3,354 cast a ballot during the one-stop (early) period – or 53.6 percent. By the conclusion of Tuesday’s general election, an additional 1,470 visited their respective precinct to increase the total number to 4,824 (77 percent).
The end result was a narrow margin separating two commissioners and two debuts on the Graham County Board of Education.
Commissioners
Newcomer Meggan Smith was the overwhelming winner in the race for an open seat on the Graham County Board of Commissioners – a vacancy created by the decision of incumbent Keith Eller to not seek re-election.
“I feel humbled to have such a great showing for support,” Smith told The Graham Star on Tuesday night. “I never dreamed to have that much (support), honestly. I give God the glory, because He leads me and my heart on the daily.
“I know that I am only one person joining a previously-established board, but I intend to stand my ground based on my values – with the community’s best interest at heart.”
Smith obtained 3,088 votes across the board.
Incumbents Lynn Cody (2,254 votes) and Connie Orr (2,177) successfully completed their re-election bids, while challenger Thomas Menard finished just 75 votes behind Orr (2,102).
Cody, Orr and Smith each ran on the Republican ticket; while Menard got on the ballot as an Unaffiliated candidate. Democratic candidate Machelle Crisp picked up 1,371 votes.
School board
Eddie Howell (3,289) and Corey Snider (3,152) received the most votes in the Graham County Board of Education’s race.
Three seats were up for grabs and two were guaranteed to be occupied by a candidate, following Jonathan Allison and Pam Knott’s bid for re-election being halted by not receiving enough votes to advance to the general election in March’s primary.
Current school board chair Rodney Nelson (2,916) renewed his term. The only other challenger, Robert Anderson, finished with 1,375 votes.
Other races
Sen. Kevin Corbin (R) cruised to 66.56 percent of the state’s vote in his re-election effort, with challenger Adam Tebrugge (D) securing 33.44 percent. North Carolina District 120 Rep. Karl Gillespie (R) also remained in office, taking 75.17 percent to challenger Nancy Curtis’ 24.83.
Although North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) easily won the local vote for governor – securing 3,304 votes – state attorney general Josh Stein (D) obtained 54.82 percent of the support across North Carolina to win the seat. Stein will be joined by Rachel Hunt (D), who won the race for lieutenant governor by the slimmest of margins: 49.44 percent for Hunt and 47.75 for second-place Hal Weatherman (R).
U.S. District 11 Rep. Chuck Edwards (R) also bested challenger Caleb Rudow, 56.82 percent – 43.18.
The Associated Press had not called the presidential race between Donald Trump (R) and Kamala Harris (D) by press time, but Trump more than carried Graham County’s support by obtaining 3,857 votes to Harris’ 839. Trump claimed the state’s nod of approval with 50.95 percent; Harris fared much better at the state level, finishing with 47.56 percent of the vote.
Election results remain unofficial until canvassing, which takes place locally Friday, Nov. 15; and statewide Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Provisional ballots will be tallied Thursday, Nov. 14.
For more election outcomes, visit ncsbe.gov.