HALIFAX, N.C. (AP) — Election boards in three northeastern North Carolina counties that make up a House district have dismissed formal protests filed by a narrowly-running 10-term state lawmaker in their Democratic primary earlier this month.
By Tuesday afternoon, the Warren, Northampton and Halifax county boards had resolved challenges brought late last week by Rep. Michael Wray, officials said.
LONG-TERM DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATOR CHALLENGES HIS PRIMARY RESULT IN NORTH CAROLINA
Results from the counties that make up the reconfigured House District 27 show Rodney Pierce, a Halifax County schoolteacher, leading Wray by 35 votes out of nearly 12,000 votes cast for the March 5 primary.
Recounts are expected in three counties in the tight North Carolina primary, where the candidates are separated by just 35 votes. (FoxNews)
Wray also asked Monday for a recount of his race in each county, and that work will begin Wednesday, said Pierce's attorney, Swain Wood.
Wray's protests challenged what happened to more than a dozen voters and alleged that a Democratic poll watcher in a Halifax County precinct directed voters to elect Pierce, violating the law.
In Halifax County, the board unanimously agreed that Wray in part “failed to challenge the way the votes were counted or the results were tabulated enough to cast doubt on the results of the election” and failed to offer substantial evidence of a violation of law, irregularity or misconduct that could determine the result. Protest decisions could be appealed to the State Board of Elections.
In a written statement, Wray said he was disappointed with the dismissal but looked forward to the results of the recount. Pierce said he is pleased with the way the board handled Wray's protests and is confident the recount will “confirm the results of the initial count” that favored him.
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Wray, who joined the House in 2005, has been criticized by outside groups and other Democrats for sometimes aligning himself with leaders in the Republican-controlled House, where he has been named a top chairman of the powerful finance committee.
Three other General Assembly incumbents lost their primaries: Democratic Sen. Mike Woodard of Durham County and Republican Reps. George Cleveland of Onslow County and Kevin Crutchfield of Cabarrus County.
