55% of Tyrrell voters cast ballots in election 

Published 5:03 pm Monday, November 12, 2018

With no county contests on the ballot, Tyrrell voters focused on the state Senate and House races on Nov. 6.

They gave Republican Bob Steinburg 657 votes to 645 for Democrat D. Cole Phelps. Steinburg won the legislative seat with 53.25% of the district vote.

In the race for N.C. House of Representatives,

Republican Edward C. Goodwin garnered 686 to 583 for Democrat Ronald (Ron) Wesson. Goodwin won the seat with 53.12% of the district vote.

In the District Court Judge race, Tyrrell voters gave Democrat Darrell B. Cayton, Jr., the incumbent, 706 votes to 564 for Republican challenger Sarah A. Homes. Cayton was returned to office with 53.97% of the vote throughout the district.

Chief District Judge Regina R. Parker, a Democrat, ran unopposed and collected 953 votes in Tyrrell.

The resident Superior Court Judge, Democrat Wayland J. Sermons, Jr., also unopposed, won another term in District 2, with 910 votes in Tyrrell.

Democratic District Attorney Seth Edwards, unopposed, was elected to another four-year term, and Tyrrell voters gave him 998 votes.

Tyrrell Republicans split their vote for N.C. Supreme Court Justice seat, and Democrat Anita Earls got 563 to 403 for Republican Barbara Jackson and 272 for Republican Christopher (Chris) Anglin. Earls won statewide.

Republicans led in Tyrrell in two of the three contests for seats on the N.C. Court of Appeals.

Andrew T. Heath got 641 to Democrat John S. Arrowood’s 582, and Chuck Kitchen captured 613 to 574 for Democrat Allegra Katherine Collins and 45 for Libertarian Michael Monaco, Sr. Democrat Tobias (Toby) Hampson got 540 votes in Tyrrell to 532 for Jefferson G. Griffin and 158 for Sandra Alice Ray, both Republicans. Arrowood, Hempson, and Collins won statewide.

Long-time incumbent Congressman, Republican Walter B. Jones, was unopposed and won another two-year term. Tyrrell voters gave him 979 votes.

Two at-large seats were up in the Tyrrell County Board of Commissioners, but a 1994 federal court ruling limited Tyrrell voters to one vote. Newcomer Jordan R. Davis, Republican, polled 767 votes to take the seat being vacated by Leroy Spivey, Republican, who did not seek reelection. Incumbent Nina Basnight Griswell, Democrat, was elected to another four-year term.

Angie Etheridge Sexton, Democrat and incumbent, led the ticket with 1,148 votes for Clerk of Superior Court. She was unopposed.

Kevin Sawyer, Democrat, garnered 1,089 votes to succeed the retiring Darryl Liverman, Democrat, as sheriff. Sawyer was unopposed.

Carl Jones got 904 votes and newcomer Danielle Carawan 680 for two seats as Soil and Water Conservation supervisors. There were 27 write-ins for the soil and water board seats.

In the constitutional amendments referenda, Tyrrell was 931 for right to hunt and fish and 348 against. The issue passed statewide.

In the matter of strengthening victims’ rights, Tyrrell was 947 for and 334 against. It passed statewide.

Tyrrell voters were for capping the income tax rate at 7% by a margin of 835 to 438. That measure passed statewide too.

Tyrrell favored requiring photo ID to vote, with 828 for and 467 against. And it passed statewide.

The nonpartisan judicial merit commission amendment failed in Tyrrell by a margin of 727 against to 479 for. It failed statewide too.

And the bipartisan board of ethics and elections amendment also was defeated in Tyrrell. The count was 685 against to 532 for. It likewise failed statewide.

The voter turnout in Tyrrell was 54.94%, with 1,324 of 2,410 registered voters casting ballots. And 46% of Tyrrell’s votes, 604, were cast before election day.

Figures from the county board of elections show that Democrats outnumber Republicans approximately 1,384 to 354 in Tyrrell, with 665 unaffiliated and 10 Libertarians on the books.