Unofficial election results show tight races, new faces

Turnout was under 20%, but tight races in Calypso, Warsaw, and Teachey are keeping election watchers on edge until the Nov. 14 canvass

Duplin County voters turned out in modest numbers for last week’s municipal elections, with unofficial results showing a 19.48% turnout — just 1,463 ballots cast out of 7,509 registered voters. The Duplin County Board of Elections will meet on Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. to officially canvass and certify the results.

Among the tightest contests was Calypso’s mayoral race, where Mayor Pro Tem Marvin “Marty” Taylor edged out JoAnne Bowden-Wilson by just one vote, 37 to 36. The town’s commissioner race was similarly close, with Larry Cashwell leading at 43 votes, while Rodney Lambert Jr. and Willie Wilcutt are tied at 30. Seven write-in votes were recorded.

In Warsaw, a leadership shift may be on the horizon. Newcomer Wesley Boykin leads incumbent Mayor A.J. Connors with 203 votes to 151. The two commissioner seats are also competitive — newcomer Cheryl Smith leads with 190 votes, followed by incumbent Ebony Wills-Wells at 167. Al Searles, Sheree Shepard, and Kiara Smith trail with 112, 97, and 70 votes, respectively.

Voters in Wallace turned out in greater numbers than in most towns. Mayor Jason Wells was reelected with 306 votes, while 18 write-ins were recorded. For the two council seats, newcomer Glenn Price leads with 216 votes, followed by incumbents Jason Davis with 208 and Tasha Herring-Redd with 164.

In Beulaville, residents opted for consistency, reelecting all incumbents. Mayor Michael “Hutch” Jones secured another term with 103 votes, while commissioners Delmas Highsmith and Gene Wickline held their seats with 98 and 89 votes, respectively.

Faison voters also favored familiar faces. Mayor Billy Ward was reelected with 96 votes, and the race for three commissioner seats remains tight: Ken Avent Jr. leads with 84 votes, Sandy McCarty follows with 81, and Juan Carlos Quintanilla trails closely with 79. Alane Brewer Floyd and Joanie Babcock trailed with 21 and 24 votes.

Greenevers also saw all incumbents return for the three commissioner seats, with Gregory Carr and Roszena Devione-Bivens each earning 48 votes and Timothy Murphy receiving 36. Seven write-ins were cast.

In Kenansville, Mayor Stephen Williamson Jr. was reelected with 94 votes. The commissioner race remains uncertain, with Linda Tyson at 69 votes and 86 write-ins — potentially for one or several individuals. Among the write-in candidates is Brandon Hobbs, who declared his candidacy at last month’s board meeting.

Magnolia’s commissioner race also remains unsettled. Perry J. Raines leads with 53 votes, followed by Jeanine Cavenaugh with 43 and Michael Glenn Chestnutt with 22. Forty-nine write-in votes were recorded, and officials will need to determine how they’re distributed.

In Rose Hill, Mayor Davy Buckner was comfortably reelected with 138 votes. For the two commissioner seats, Perry Tully leads with 93 votes, followed by Tashau Mathis with 67 and Randy Barrios with 62.

Teachey’s two-seat commissioner race is currently a dead heat, with newcomer Danny Sutton and incumbent Patrick Williams tied at 38 votes each. Ethylen Carlton Powell received 25 votes.

With several close contests, numerous write-ins, and absentee and provisional ballots still to be reviewed, Duplin County’s results remain unofficial. The final certified tallies could shift in a few key races when the Board of Elections meets to complete its canvass and confirm the winners.