A residency dispute in Carteret County has ended with a former official’s voter status being overturned.
The county board of elections has upheld a formal challenge against former Emerald Isle Commissioner Josh Sawyer. Following a series of hearings, board members determined Sawyer was not properly registered at his listed address within the town.
As a result, the board ordered Sawyer’s registration to be corrected to reflect his actual residence in Cedar Point. State officials have been notified of the change, leaving local leaders to navigate the legal and administrative fallout of the ruling.
The Town of Emerald Isle Board of Commissioners will appoint someone to fill the vacancy left by Sawyer's resignation to fill the seat through December 2027.
A special meeting has been scheduled for Friday at 9:00 a.m. to consider the process and/or appointment of an individual to fill the vacant seat. The meeting will be held in the Town Board Meeting Room and is open to the public.
