HALIFAX, N.C. (AP) – Election boards in the three northeastern North Carolina counties that make up the House district announced earlier this month that the 10-term state lawmaker has a narrow lead in the Democratic primary. A formal protest launched by the government was dismissed.
By Tuesday afternoon, commissioners in Warren, Northampton and Halifax counties had disposed of a challenge filed by Rep. Michael Ray late last week, officials said.
Longtime Democrat disputes key North Carolina results
Results from the counties that make up the redrawn 27th Congressional District show that out of about 12,000 votes cast in the March 5 primary, Halifax County school teacher Rodney Pierce won Ray. is leading by 35 votes.
Recounts are scheduled in three counties in the North Carolina primary, where candidates are close by just 35 votes. (Fox News)
Pierce’s attorney, Swain Wood, said Ray also requested a recount of the races in each county on Monday, and that work would begin Wednesday.
Mr. Ray’s protest disputed what happened with more than a dozen voters, alleging that Democratic poll watchers at the Halifax County election violated the law by instructing voters to choose Mr. Pearce. .
In Halifax County, the board unanimously found that Mr. Ray “did not object to the manner in which the votes were counted or the results were tabulated to the extent that it cast doubt on the election results” and that there were no violations of law, fraud, or It was unanimously agreed that substantial evidence of wrongdoing could not be presented. Misconduct that could affect the outcome. The decision to protest may be appealed to the State Election Commission.
Ray said in a written statement that he was disappointed in the firings but looked forward to the results of the recount. Pearce said he was satisfied with how the board responded to Ray’s protest and was confident the recount would “confirm the initial tally” in his favor. .
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Mr. Wray, who joined the House of Representatives in 2005, was appointed one of the senior chairs of the Republican-controlled House’s powerful Finance Committee, and has occasionally aligned himself with Republican-controlled House leaders. He has been criticized by outside groups and other Democratic politicians for his actions.
Three other incumbent members of the General Assembly lost their primaries: Democratic Sen. Mike Woodard of Durham County, Republican Rep. George Cleveland of Onslow County and Rep. Kevin Crutchfield of Cabarrus County.
