Meggan Smith
Robbinsville – Entering Tuesday’s primary election, there was just one guarantee at the local level: a new commissioner, with incumbent Keith Eller not seeking re-election this year.
But when the polls closed and the votes were tabulated, several new wrinkles had been added to the forthcoming general election in November.
Three seats each are up for grabs on the Graham County boards of commissioners and education. Of the five incumbents who filed for re-election, only three advanced to the general ballot: school board chair Rodney Nelson, as well as commissioners Lynn Cody and Connie Orr.
Emerging from the crowded Republican primary as the top vote-getter in the commissioner race was Meggan Smith, who received 1,173 nods of approval. Cody finished second, with 807 votes; Orr had 754 votes in her favor.
Rounding out the primary commissioner race was Jeremy Wiggins, 712 votes; Gina Shuler, 626; and Aaron Bradley, 403.
Board of education incumbents Jonathan Allison and Pam Knott will end their service following the November
election, as Eddie Howell (1,210 votes) and Corey Snider (1,153) finished atop the primary ballot. Nelson received the third-most votes, 993; Knott had 754, while Allison obtained 395.
Local November races will see the addition of Robert Anderson (Unaffiliated) to the options for board of education; as well as Machelle Crisp (Democrat) and Thomas Menard (Unaffiliated) in the chase for a commissioner seat.
Highlights from statewide and national races were led by Donald Trump (Republican, 1,597 votes) and Joe Biden (D, 176) in the hunt for President; incumbent Chuck Edwards beating challenger Christian Reagan, 1,335-324, for the U.S. House of Representatives,
District 11 seat; Mark Robinson (R, 1,244 votes) and Josh Stein (D, 144) taking Graham County in the contest for governor; and Hal Weatherman (R, 441 votes) and Rachel Hunt (D) earning 127 of the county’s votes for Lieutenant Governor.
Of the 6,101 registered voters in Graham County, 2,129 visited the polls. There were 1,866 Republican ballots (60.58 percent of those registered locally to the party) cast; 258 Democratic ballots (23.89); and five Libertarian (15.15
percent).
Look for a table of how votes broke down by precinct in the March 14 edition of The Graham Star.