The Morehead City mayoral race came down to a single vote, and now an election protest has been filed with the Carteret County Board of Elections.
Candidate Lee Stiles received 762 votes, while the incumbent mayor Jerry Jones received 761 votes. Jones filed the protest after he said voters contacted him on the day of voting and afterwards, telling him they were denied the right to vote because they do not live in Morehead City.
In Morehead City, the candidate who receives the most votes wins. There are no runoffs even if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote.
A recount for the mayor’s race will be conducted at noon on Friday.
A Greenville city council member is asking for a recount in last week’s election.
In unofficial returns, Marion Blackburn lost the District 3 race by 26 votes to Seth Hardee. Tim Langley came in third. Candidates with a 1% difference from the top vote getter can seek a recount.
The Pitt County Board of Elections has scheduled the recount for Friday morning.
