DATE: Wednesday, November 5, 1997           TAG: 9711051153

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NAGS HEAD                         LENGTH:   75 lines

NAGS HEAD MAYOR CAHOON RE-ELECTED MULLER, MURRAY WIN BOARD SEATS; 54 PERCENT VOTER TURNOUT REPORTED

Incumbent Mayor Renee Cahoon captured another four-year term by an almost 2-1 margin over Commissioner Doug Remaley.

Voters also returned incumbent Robert Muller to the town's board of commissioners, and elected businessman Brant Murray to the seat left vacant by the retirement of longtime Commissioner Lillian ``Doll'' Gray.

In the race for two seats on the commission, Muller and Murray were far and away the top vote-getters in the at-large election.

Murray finished second behind Muller. Dare County EMS Director Harry Seymour finished third, ahead of former commissioner Jeanne Acree, retired firefighter Pete Grana, retired engineer Charles Thompson and Dare County Deputy George Bowman.

Cahoon said her first priority as mayor would be building consensus on the new governing board, after a sometimes divisive municipal race.

``We all have to come together,'' Cahoon said. ``We have to work together as a town. To build consensus, there has to be give and take. We have to be able to listen to everyone's viewpoint.''

Finishing the new municipal building and bike paths for the towns are among her top priorities.

``I'd like to create more recreational activities for Nags Head kids,'' Cahoon said. ``And I'd like to see us develop more sound and beach accesses.''

Despite the loss, the 50-year-old Remaley said he will work with the newly-elected board. He has two years remaining on the board of commissioners.

``We're going to have to get everyone together after the election and start from scratch,'' Remaley said. ``I'm a winner either way. Our campaign has stirred some interest in the community. I want to push to unify the board.''

A full field and the hot debate over candidates' occupations fueled a 54 percent turnout in Nags Head. Some 847 of the town's 1,570 registered voters went to the polls.

Cahoon, Murray, Acree and Thompson argued that a diverse board would insure the town's autonomy. Some were concerned that too many Dare County employees on the panel would dilute the town's strength.

County employees Remaley and Seymour said that despite their jobs, they had the right to seek office in Nags Head.

Voter Mayo Smith, an 83-year old retired car dealer who has voted in every election since 1932, said vigorous campaigns by all Nags Head candidates ignited the strong turnout.

``I think the people who were running roused everybody to the extent that they came out,'' Smith said. ``They got out and did a lot of work and got a lot of people motivated.''

Grana said the town has historically gone to the polls in big numbers.

``I think making such an issue of where you work got people energized.''

Candidates projected more than 50 percent turnout in the Nags Head vote. Muller brought a lucky picnic bench to the polling place that has served him in previous successful bids for the five-member board. Thompson and Acree also made their own statements. Thompson played his guitar and Acree brought a pitcher of pink lemonade.

``It's great to get out and see people you don't see very often,'' Muller said. ``But it's work, and it's pressure and it's tension. The key to campaigning is keeping the issues out in front, and seeing people. I'm not a good campaigner, but I've been successful because I work well on the board.''

Muller campaigned using a simple rule.

``Don't overestimate the knowledge voters have on the issues, and don't underestimate their intelligence,'' Muller said. ``You have to get the information out there, and trust them to make the right decisions.''

But the decisions facing the incoming Nags Head governing board range from regulating growth to beach nourishment to drafting regulations on sexually-oriented businesses.

``I don't envy anyone on the new board,'' said former Commissioner Acree, who ran unsuccessfully Tuesday after serving from 1985-1989. ``It's going to be a tough job.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

Cahoon KEYWORDS: ELECTION RESULTS MAYORAL RACE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

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