U.S. picks new president, Swain picks new school board members
Thursday, November 6, 2008 12:36 PM EST

McCain wins here, but nation takes Obama; one SB seat awaits provisional ballot count

By Pete Lawson

Times Staff

With the closing of the polls Tuesday night, almost 6,000 Swain County residents had voted in the 2008 General Election.

The numbers were, Swain County Elections Board Chairman Russell Childers said, "more than I've ever seen."

Voter interest likely flowed down from the top of the ballot in this presidential election year. Democrat Barack Obama, who became President-Elect in Tuesday's vote, and Republican John McCain presented a sufficient contrast to charge the electorate.

Obama was the first African-American to earn a major party nomination. For his part, McCain energized his Republican base by picking Sarah Palin, the attractive, socially-conservative Alaska governor, as his vice presidential running mate.

In Swain County, McCain edged Obama by 93 votes, 2,896-2,803, Tuesday night's unofficial final returns showed.

According to Board of Election records, there are 9,825 registered to vote in Swain County; 5,934 did so this election for a percentage of 60.40.

Board of Education

In Swain County's only partisan race on the ballot, Democrat Lambert Wilson was the heavy favorite with 3,453 votes for the first of three seats. Democrat Jerry McKinney finished second with 2,759.

Republican Mellie Burns claimed the third seat in a close count with Democrat incumbent and former chairman Roger Parsons. Burns, in her second try for a board seat, drew 2,562 votes. Parsons had 2,520. Republicans Shirley Thomas Sutton and Earl King finished with 2,366 and 1,773, respectively.

Joan Weeks, Director of the Swain County Board of Elections, said approximately 55 provisional ballots have yet to be reviewed.

A provisional ballot is provided to individuals whose voter registration status cannot be determined by Election Day. Weeks said some voters register with the Department of Motor Vehicles and other state agencies, and sometimes those records do not reach the board by Election Day.

Weeks said there is a possibility that the outstanding provisional ballots could change the outcome of the race between Burns and Parsons for a seat on the Board of Education. The official results will be finalized on Nov. 14, she said.

Other races

Swain County voters supported incumbent Democratic Congressman Heath Shuler, 3,911, over Republican challenger Carl Mumpower, 1,813. Shuler easily defeated Mumpower in the 11th District and will be back in Washington for a second term.

The county supported Democrat Bev Perdue, who will become North Carolina's first female governor, 3,423, over Republican Pat McCrory, 2,144; and Democrat Kay Hagan, 3,529, who upset Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole, 2,246, in North Carolina's race for U.S. Senate.

Swain County also backed incumbent members of the State Legislature, Rep. Phil Haire and Sen. John Snow, both Democrats. Snow defeated Republican Susan Pons, 3,653 to 2,048, and Haire outpolled Republican Dodie Allen, 3,5676 to 2,108.

In a non-partisan contest to fill three seats on the Whittier Sanitary District Board, George Rogers collected 58 votes; incumbent Mitchell B. Jenkins followed with 51 and Harry Wood drew 31. John L. Boaze had 22. There were 16 write-in votes in the election which was limited to residents of the sanitary district.

Clint (Cam) Carson Jr. got 3,266 votes running unopposed for Swain County Soil and Water District Supervisor. There were 91 write-ins in this contest.

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