THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 1996 TAG: 9611060446
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, MASON PETERS AND ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 106 lines
A rough-and-tumble campaign helped Republicans crack the Democratic stranglehold on the Dare County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, with Cheryl Byrd and Richard Johnson winning seats for the GOP on the seven-member panel.
In unofficial returns from all 16 precincts and the write-in votes, Byrd had 5570 votes to defeat Democratic Martin Booth, who drew 4868. Booth had upset Democratic incumbent Sammy Smith in the primary.
Johnson, a political newcomer from Manteo, received 5539 votes, upsetting Democratic incumbent Clarence Skinner, who had 5045 votes.
Democratic incumbents Bobby Owens and Mac Midgett appeared to have turned back Republican challenges in the other two hotly contested Dare races which produced a heavy turnout of voters.
County officials said an unprecedented 69 percent of the 15,578 registered voters went to the polls.
Owens, the commission chairman, unofficially edged Republican Steve Sawin, 5377 to 5065, and Midgett beat Republican Douglas Price, 5635 to 4871.
The victories by the two GOP underdogs cut the Democrats' edge on the Dare County commission to 5-2.
``I can work with anybody,'' Owens said after his narrow triumph. Democrats did better in other contested races for county commission seats around the Albemarle.
And the area's three state legislators - Democratic Sen. Marc Basnight of Manteo and Democratic Reps. W.C. ``Bill'' Owens Jr. of Elizabeth City and Bill Culpepper of Edenton - all were unopposed in their successful bids for re election.
In Camden County, Democratic incumbent J.C. Rountree took the only contested commissioner's seat with 1634 votes, defeating Republican Mike Andrews, 39, a retired government worker who drew 880 votes with all three precincts counted. Democrat Peggy Ervinia Kight, 48, received 1301 votes to win the Register of Deeds seat, beating Kristie Sawyer Corprew, 22, who had 1283 votes in the unofficial count. The two Republicans had hoped to be the first of their party to win office in Camden County.
In Chowan County a contested seat on the county commissioner's board was the local highlight, and although unofficial returns were not available at press time, County Manager Cliff Copeland said Allen F. Downum, an Edenton optometrist and Democrat, defeated John L. Sams, a Libertarian, by a 5-1 margin.
In Currituck County, the winners for the commission seat unofficially were Democrat incumbent Gene Gregory, who beat Republican challenger Bill Dobney, 2814 to 2726, and Ernie Bowden, a Democrat commissioner running for a fourth term, who defeated Gary Montalbine, 2915 to 2538.
The only other contested race was for the Board of Education where incumbent Janet Taylor, 36, defeated challenger Patricia Ferebee Blowe, 35, 2620 to 1859. Both were running for the Moyock Township seat.
In Pasquotank County, two-term Democrat incumbent Zee Lamb, a lawyer, was facing his first Republican challenge from Jerry Goldschmidt. Heavy voting delayed the count and results were not available at press time.
In Perquimans County four candidates ran for three seats on the county board. Voters were allowed to vote for only one candidate, with the top three vote-getters elected. Archie W. Miller and Shirley Yates, both incumbents, and L. Wayne Howell and Bert Hayes, all sought election. No results were available at press time.
In Dare County, Owens, target of most of the GOP heat, turned back Kill Devil Hills Republican newcomer Sawin in District 2.
Sawin had accused Owens of being the head honcho of a closed good ol' boy network that intimidated county workers into compliance. Owens scoffed at the charge and flatly rebuffed his opponent's invitation to debate. Owens has a held his county chair for most of the last 26 years.
Byrd and Booth battled for the District 3 seat. Both candidates are 53 years old, have lived in Southern Shores for six years, never held an elected office and are retired professionals.
Joseph ``Mac'' Midgett won his second term on the board where he represents Hatteras Island.
Republicans had centered their campaign on a quest to break apart the historically Democratic county government. Democrats in response argued that the county needs experienced leadership.
In Currituck County, the Shawboro Township commissioner race between Democrat incumbent Gregory and challenger Dobney was the most contentious.
They had heated exchanges at candidates forums over several issues, including possible conflicts of interest.
Gregory, 56, had suggested Dobney, who is associate superintendent of the county public school system, would violate ethics were he to vote on school issues.
Dobney, 48, vowed not to vote on anything he stood to personally gain from and then accused Gregory of doing just that by voting to give school employees - including Gregory's wife - a pay raise.
Another closely watched race was between Bowden, a Democrat commissioner running for a fourth term, and Montalbine, a Republican making his first bid for public office.
Bowden, 71, of Carova Beach emphasized his years of experience during the campaign season. Montalbine, 62, of Knotts Island made improving public access to local government a priority. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Cheryl Byrd (R) Lives in Southern Shores; is a retired teacher. She
is 53
Richard Johnson (R) Lives in Manteo; is 42 and a telephone
technician
Bobby Owens Jr. (D) Incumbent Lives in Nags Head; is 63; director of
Gov. Hunt's Eastern office.
Joseph Midgett (D) Incumbent; Lives in Rodanthe, he's 56; owner
Island Convenience
KEYWORDS: ELECTION NORTH CAROLINA RESULTS DARE
COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS by CNB