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After Cove Creek Precinct Accidentally Counted Twice, A Few Things Change in Watauga Races for General Election

By Jesse Wood

Nov. 5, 2014. On Wednesday morning, Watauga County Elections Director Jane Ann Hodges said that Cove Creek precinct was “double counted.”

With the correct unofficial, final election results now tabulated, a few things change.

Instead of incumbent Commissioner David Blust, a Republican, being the second-highest votegetter in the three races for seats on the Watauga County Board of Commissioners, incumbent Billy Kennedy, a Democrat, is now the second-highest votegetter in the commissioner races. This means that Kennedy earns a four-year term as opposed to a two-year term, and Blust will receive a second-year term. Republican Jimmy Hodges retained his status as the highest vote-getter in the commissioner races.

Initially, Jason Cornett, a conservative running for Watauga County Board of Education, was the top votegetter among the six candidates running for seats on the school board. Now, however, Jay Fenwick, a Democrat in the supposed non-partisan race, earns that nod. Incumbent Ron Henries, a conservative, is still the third highest votegetter in the school board race and will retain his seat on the education board.

While incumbent N.C. Rep. Jonathan Jordan, a Republican, was initially pleased that he finally took down Watauga County, the new figures with Cove Creek only being counted once show that Democrat Sue Counts actually one Watauga County by 83 votes with 50.25 percent. Jordan, however, was still elected with a strong showing in Ashe County by receiving just more than 59 percent of the vote from constituents in Ashe.

Below are the final, unofficial results after Cove Creek was counted only once:

Note that these are preliminary results from only Watauga County voters unless noted otherwise.

  • All precincts – 17,156 Votes Cast at 37.5 percent voter turnout
  • Red Denotes Winner

Board of Commissioners District 3

Karen Lerch (R) – 7871 – 47.9 percent

Billy Kennedy (D) – 8561 – 52.1 percent

BOC District 4

David Blust (R) – 8402 – 51.12 percent

Larry Turnbow (D) – 8034 – 48.88 percent

BOC District 5

Jimmy Hodges (R) –  8718 – 52.9 percent

Barbara Kinsey (D) – 7762 – 47.1 percent

Watauga Sheriff

Randy Townsend (R) – 7108 -42.65 percent

Len Hagaman (D) – 9557 – 57.35 percent

Watauga County Board of Education

Jason Cornett (conservative) – 6956 – 18.76 percent

Jay Fenwick (liberal)– 7028 – 18.96 percent

Ron Henries (conservative)– 6276 – 16.93 percent

Ronny Holste (liberal) – 5882 – 15.86 percent

Kurt D Michael (liberal) – 6007 – 16.20 percent

Adam L. Trivette (conservative) – 4707 – 12.7 percent

Blowing Rock Referendum

Water Systems Bonds: Yes – 507 – 79.34 percent

Sanitary Sewer Bonds – Yes -518 – 81.06%

Sidewalk Bonds- Yes – 472 – 73.52%

Park and Recs Bonds: Yes – 469 – 72.83%

NC Senate * Entire 45th District in N.C. Senate

Dan Soucek (R)– 33,087 – 60.21 percent

Jim Sponenberg (D) – 21,865 – 39.79 percent

NC House * Entire 93rd District in N.C. House

Jonathan Jordan (R) – 13,849 – 53.1 percent

Sue Counts (D)– 12,234 – 46.9 percent

US Senate *Entire State

Thom Tillis (R)– 1,412,865 – 48.87 percent

Kay Hagan (D)– 1,364,623 – 47.2 percent

Sean Haugh (L) – 108,154 – 3.74 percent

US House *Entire 5th Congressional District in NC

Virginia Foxx (R)– 138,481 – 61.03 percent

Josh Brannon (D)– 88,434 – 38.97 percent