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Unofficial Results for 2015 Municipal Elections in Watauga and Avery Counties

Compiled by Jesse Wood

Posted below are the unofficial results for the 2015 municipal elections in Watauga and Avery counties.

Official results won’t be released until canvassing, when the provisional ballots are counted and a random precinct or two are counted by hand. The canvass is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Watauga County Board of Elections Director Matt Snyder said that Boone had 61 and Beech Mountain had 4 provisional ballots. Avery County Board of Elections Director Sheila Ollis said that Newland had about 7 provisional ballots. Looking at the victory margins in those towns, none of the results for the municipalities would be affected by the provisional count.

Talking Points: 

Losing Incumbents: Cindy Keller (Beech Mountain Town Council); Dan Phillips (Blowing Rock Town Council); Dale Henson (Crossnore Alderman); Susie Potter (Newland Town Council)

Newland’s referendum on the sale of alcohol: 72 percent of voters approved the sale of wine and beer in Newland town limits. This compares to 54 percent that favored alcohol sales when it first appeared on the ballot in 2006. For more background on this controversial issue, click here. 

Write-in Candidates Win in Crossnore and Newland: Dan Vance, a write-in candidate, came in third in the Crossnore Alderman race, which featured 3 seats. Vance received 24 votes, just squeaking by incumbent Dale Henson’s 23 votes. Dave Calvert, a write-in candidate in Newland, also came in third in the Newland Town Council race, which also featured 3 seats. Calvert received 126 votes, more than 40 more than the fourth-place votegetter.

Incumbent Mayors Win Big: Incumbent mayors across Avery and Watauga counties won by big margins on Tuesday, according to unofficial results. JB Lawrence in Blowing Rock, Brenda Lyerly in Banner Elk and current Boone Mayor Pro-Tem Rennie Brantz were among the victorious.

I=Incumbent

Red=Unofficial Winner

WATAUGA

Beech Mountain Town Council (3 seats)

  • Renee Castiglione – 132 votes (25 percent)
    Wendel L. Sauer – 121 votes (23 percent)
    Rick Owen (I) – 72 votes (13%)
    Carl Marquardt – 67 (13%
    Tony Ananea – 58 (11%)
    Fred France – 56 (10%)
    Cindy Keller (I) – 16 (3%)
    Dottie Moretz – 11 (2%)
    Write-in – 2 votes

*Beech Mountain has four provisional ballots to be counted at canvass. 

Blowing Rock Mayor (1 seat)

  • J.B. Lawrence (I) – 277 votes (62 percent)
  • Charlie Sellers – 171 votes (38 percent)

Blowing Rock Town Council (2 seats)

  • Albert Yount (I) – 328 votes (42 percent)
  • Jim Steele – 250 votes (32 percent)
  • Dan Phillips (I) – 193 votes (25 percent)
  • Write-ins – 9 votes (1 percent)

Boone Mayor (1 unexpired term)

  • Rennie Brantz – 873 votes (81 percent)
  • Ryan Hollingsworth – 196 votes (18 percent)
  • Write-in – 8 votes (1 percent)

Boone Town Council (3 seats)

  • Loretta Clawson (I) – 644 votes (23 percent)
  • Lynne Mason (I) – 612 (22 %)
  • Charlotte Mizelle – 561 (20 %)
  • Jeannine Underdown Collins – 491 (18 %)
  • David Welsh – 453 (16 %)
  • Write-in – 23 (1 %)

Boone Town Council (1 unexpired term)

  • Jennifer Teague – 849 votes (98 percent)
  • Write-in – 21 votes (2 %)

*Boone has 61 provisional ballots that need to be counted during canvass.

Seven Devils Town Council (3 seats)

  • Larry Fontaine (I)- 41 votes (33 percent)
  • David A. Ehmig (I) – 39 (32 %)
  • Brad Lambert (I) – 33 (32 %)
  • Michael Potter  – 9 (7%)

AVERY COUNTY

Banner Elk Mayor (1 seat):

  • Brenda Lyerly (I) – 33 votes  
  • Write-in – 1

Banner Elk Town Council (3 seats):

  • David Lecka (I) – 28 votes (33 percent)
  • Allen Bolick –  27 votes (32 percent
  • Charles Banner VonCannon Jr. (I) 27 votes (32 percent)

Crossnore Mayor (1 seat)

  • Tudor Vance (I) – 40 votes (91 percent)
  • Write-in – 4

Crossnore Alderman (3 seats)

  • Eddie Yarber (I) – 36 votes (31 percent)
  • Hannah Smith – 30 votes (26 percent)
  • Dan Vance (write-in) 24 votes (21 percent)
  • Dale Henson (I) – 23 votes (20 percent)

Elk Park Town Council (5 seats)

  • Daniel Boone (I) – 29 votes (15 percent)
  • Joey Whitley (I) – 28 (15 percent)
  • Tommy Norman (I) – 26 (14 percent)
  • Tony Eller (I) – 24 (13 percent)
  • Michael Smith  (I)- 22 (12 percent)
  • Brad Benfield – 20 (11 percent)
  • Mike Whittington – 18 (10 percent)
  • Neil Reece – 12 (6 percent)
  • Cory Hughes – 10 (5 percent)

Elk Park Mayor

  • John Boone (I) – 37 (95 percent)
  • Write-in – 2

Grandfather Village Mayor (1 seat)

  • Robert V. Donovan – 13 votes (100 percent)

Grandfather Village Council (2 seats)

  • Chuck Fuller – 14 votes (50 percent)
  • Richard C. Norman – 14 votes (50 percent)

Newland Town Council (3 seats)

  • Donetta K McKinney (I) – 196 votes (24 percent)
  • Kenny Caraway – 183 (23 %)
  • Dave Calvert (write-in) – 126 (16 %)
  • Susie Potter – (I) 84 (10%)
  • Josh Stapleton – 79 (10%)
  • Casey Turbyfill – 75 (9%)
  • Staney Hollifield (I) 52 (6%)
  • Write-in- 8 votes (1 percent)

Newland Beer and Wine Referendum

To permit the “on-premises” and “off-premises” sale of malt beverages:

  • For – 235 (72 percent)
  • Against – 93 (28 percent)

To permit the “on-premises” and “off-premises” sale of unfortified wine:

  • For – 233 (72 percent)
  • Against – 91 (28 percent)

*Newland has a handful of provisional ballots but not enough to reverse Tuesday’s count

Seven Devils Town Council (3 seats)

  • Larry Fontaine (I)- 41 votes (33 percent)
  • David A. Ehmig (I) – 39 (32 %)
  • Brad Lambert (I) – 33 (32 %)
  • Michael Potter  – 9 (7%)

Sugar Mountain Mayor (1 seat)

  • Dennis Lacey (I) – 51 votes (89 percent)
  • Write-in – 6 votes (11 percent)

Sugar Mountain Town Council (2 seats)

  • Gunther Jochl – 54 votes (47 percent)
  • Norris Clifton – 51 votes (44 percent) 
  • Write-in – 9 percent