By Peter Vankevich
While the country awaits the results of the presidential election, here’s a look at some of the local and still unofficial voting results, and more mail-in ballots may be counted.
Out of the 3, 171 Hyde County’s registered voters, a total of of 2,484 casts ballot, a stunning and record 78%. Of Ocracoke’s 827 voters, a total of 540 ballots were cast, or 65%.
Hyde County voted solidly Republican from the presidential level on down. County-wide Trump defeated Biden 1,408 to 1,035. Only the Ocracoke precinct voted blue with Biden getting 348 to Trump’s 176.
Statewide, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) was reelected, defeating Dan Forrest (R) 2.8 million to 2.56 million. For Hyde, Forrest got 1,343 votes to Cooper’s 1,100.
NC General Assembly regional reps were reelected.
District 1 State Senator Bob Steinburg (R-Chowan) beat back challenger Democrat Tess Judge (Kitty Hawk), 57,913 to 46,862.
District 6 House Rep Incumbent Bobby Hanig (R-Powells Point) will continue, having defeated Democrat Tommy Fulcher 30,843 to 17,071.
Both Steinburg and Hanig carried Hyde County.
In the only contested Hyde County commissioner election, Earl Pugh Jr (R-Lake Landing) won reelection beating challenger Thomas Midgette (D), 1,671 to 991.
Randal Mathews will be sworn in at the Dec. 7 Hyde County commissioners meeting to represent Ocracoke, replacing Tom Pahl who did not seek reelection. Mathews was unopposed.
Also unopposed county commissioners Ben Simmons (R-Fairfield) and Goldie Topping (D-Swan Quarter) will continue to represent their townships.
For the Ocracoke Sanitary District, which manages the water plant on Ocracoke, Scott Bradley will continue.
There was an opening for a second candidate. Incumbent Regina O’Neal Boor did not file for reelection but indicated she would continue if selected as a write-in candidate. There were 284 names added but the results will not be known until next week according to Elections Director Viola Williams.
For the other Hyde County sanitary districts, the unopposed incumbents will continue: Jo Ann Spencer (Engelhard) and Wayne Hodges (Swan Quarter).
Incumbents Randy Etheridge and Thomas Whitaker will continue on the Hyde Board of Education.
Chad Spencer will continue as Hyde Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.
Heading back to Washington for House District 3 will be Greg Murphy (R-Greenville), who easily beat Democrat Daryl Farrow, 227,462 to 131,011.
Republican incumbent Thom Tillis narrowly defeated Cal Cunningham, Democrat, 2.64 million to 2.54 million for the U.S. Senate. Two other candidates, Shannon W. Bray (Libertarian) received 167,968 votes and Kevin E. Hayes (Constitution Party), 66,668.
