By Peter Vankevich
Note: All voting figures presented here are unofficial. Final tallies may vary slightly.
The Hyde County Board of Elections has reported a massive voter turnout this year on Nov. 3, possibly a record for a midterm election.
With all seven precincts reporting, unofficial results showed 1,992 ballots cast among Hyde County’s 3,037 registered voters for a 65% turnout, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
Ocracoke precinct has 815 registered voters. Of those voters, 345 are registered Democrats, 322 are Unaffiliated, 141 are Republicans, and seven are Libertarians.
The two-day total of Ocracoke early voting on Oct. 22 and 23 was 230. On election day, 216 voted, and 26 ballots were cast at the Elections office, according to the Hyde County Elections Office. That makes a total of 486, which is 60 percent, Hyde County Board of Elections Director Amanda Peadon reported.
“I’m elated,” she said. “We may be having an all-time record turnout.”
The elections board is holding 21 provisional ballots. Results remain unofficial pending the official canvass, or the official post-election process of verifying that all votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, then authenticating and certifying the final results.
County boards of elections meet publicly at 11 a.m. on the tenth day after Election Day, Nov. 13.
Statewide, 4,223,318 votes were cast out of 7,894,774 eligible voters, for a 53.56% turnout.
Ocracoke votes for Cooper; Hyde for Whatley
Democrat Roy Cooper, the former governor, won the open seat vacated by retiring Republican Thom Tillis.
Statewide results showed Cooper with 2,467,963 votes (59%), a clear majority over Republican Michael Whatley, who received 1,643,088 votes (39%). Libertarian Shannon W. Bray received 55,726 votes (1.33%), and Green Party candidate Michael Dublin received 36,404 votes (0.87%).
In all of Hyde County, Whatley received 1,016 votes (52%), to Cooper’s 896 votes, (46%). Bray received 31 votes (2%), and Dublin, 15 (1%).
The reported Ocracoke precinct results favored Cooper, who received 127 votes, or 59%, compared with 78 votes, or 36%, for Whatley. Bray received six votes (3%), and Dublin received three (1%).
Whatley garnered 1,016 for the entire Hyde County to Cooper’s 896 ballots cast.
| Candidate | Hyde County votes | Share | Ocracoke precinct votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Whatley, Republican | 1,016 | 51.89% | 78 | 36.45% |
| Roy Cooper, Democrat | 896 | 45.76% | 127 | 59.35% |
| Shannon W. Bray, Libertarian | 31 | 1.58% | 6 | 2.80% |
| Michael Dublin, Green | 15 | 0.77% | 3 | 1.40% |
Davis retains congressional seat
Democratic incumbent Don Davis won reelection in the 1st Congressional District against challengers Republican Laurie Buckhout and Libertarian Tom Bailey, according to preliminary results.
Districtwide figures supplied for this report listed Davis with 156,564 votes, or 50%; Buckhout with 146,259, or 47%; and Bailey with 9,880, or 3%. Those totals remain subject to confirmation against updated district returns.
Buckhout led in Hyde County, but Davis received a majority of the votes cast in the Ocracoke precinct.
| Candidate | Hyde County votes | Share | Ocracoke precinct votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurie Buckhout, Republican | 948 | 48.62% | 78 | 36.62% |
| Don Davis, Democrat | 922 | 47.28% | 123 | 57.75% |
| Tom Bailey, Libertarian | 80 | 4.10% | 12 | 5.63% |
Sanderson returns to State Senate
Republican incumbent Norman Sanderson will return to the State Senate, District 2 after defeating Democratic challenger Roy Surrett, receiving 47,147 votes, or 54%, statewide to Surrett’s 40,520 votes, or 46%.
In Hyde County, Sanderson received 1,077 votes (57%) to Surrett’s 824 (43%).
Ocracoke voters favored Surrett, who received 123 votes (59%) to Sanderson’s 86 (41%).
Armstrong to State House
Unopposed Republican Daren Armstrong of District 179 will represent the district in the North Carolina House of Representatives. He received 26,370 votes.
Armstrong will take office as a member of the minority party following the Democrats’ flip of the House in the November midterm election.
County Commissioner contests include write-in race
Two of Hyde County’s five commissioner seats were on the ballot.
Republican incumbent Jan Moore ran unopposed for the Swan Quarter Township seat and received 1,273 votes.
No candidates filed by the deadline for the Currituck Township seat. Two write-in candidates met eligibility requirements, according to information supplied for this report.
Unofficial individual write-in totals showed Shannon Swindell leading with 296 votes, followed by Horace Taylor with 216.
Cahoon reelected sheriff
Democratic incumbent Carl “Guire” Cahoon Jr. won reelection as Hyde County sheriff, receiving 1,126 votes, or 58%, against unaffiliated challenger Odell Williams.
Williams received 811 votes, or 42%, in the countywide returns.
Cahoon won the Ocracoke precinct 133 to Williams 70 votes cast.
| Candidate | Hyde County votes | Share | Ocracoke precinct votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl “Guire” Cahoon Jr. | 1,126 | 58.13% | 133 | 65.52% |
| Odell Williams | 811 | 41.87% | 70 | 34.48% |
School board and other local offices
There were no contested school board races.
For the two at-large seats, Democrat Phillip “Andy” Holloway received 1,047 votes, while returns listed 963 votes for Republican Dustin Nails.
Nails resigned from the board, and Santasha Cooper was appointed to fill the vacancy for the entire term.
Democratic incumbent Rachael Chestnut ran unopposed for the Ocracoke District school board seat and received 1,336 votes.
Two other county officeholders also faced no opposition. Democrat Brandy Cahoon Pugh received 1,618 votes for clerk of Superior Court, and Democrat E. Merita Lewis-Spencer received 1,594 votes for register of deeds.
The three unopposed Ocracoke Sanitary District Board of Supervisors candidates were Bobby O’Neal, with 411 votes; Flavia Burton, with 393; and William Caswell, with 378, according to supplied preliminary totals.
Voters approve three constitutional amendments
North Carolina voters approved three constitutional amendments addressing property taxes, income taxes and identification requirements for mail-in voting.
The property tax amendment, supported by about 60% of voters, requires the General Assembly to establish limits on increases in local property tax levies. The amendment does not specify those limits; lawmakers must determine them through legislation.
Opponents, including local government officials, warned that restrictions could complicate funding for law enforcement, fire protection, emergency services, parks and social services.
A second amendment, approved by nearly 62%, establishes a constitutional income tax ceiling of 3.5% beginning with the 2027 tax year. The personal income tax rate is 3.99% for 2026 and is scheduled to fall to 3.49% in 2027.
The third amendment, supported by 59.6%, makes photo identification for mail-in voting a constitutional requirement. State law already requires identification for absentee voting, with exceptions and alternative procedures.
Supporters said the amendment strengthens election security, while critics argued that placing the requirement in the constitution could make future changes more difficult.
