Tuesday’s primary election narrowed the field of candidates seeking to represent voters in a number of offices, including Fayetteville City Council, the N.C. General Assembly, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners and county sheriff.
The county had a turnout of 16.19% Tuesday, according to Angie Amaro, interim director of the Cumberland County Board of Elections.
“I want to say it’s probably above average,” Amaro said Wednesday afternoon.
The election for Fayetteville mayor and City Council is scheduled for July 26. Other candidates who were winners in Tuesday’s primary will be on the ballot in the November general election.
Here are the unofficial results for Cumberland County races Tuesday.
Fayetteville mayor and City Council
The top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s primary advance to the July election.
Mayor
In the race for Fayetteville mayor, incumbent Mitch Colvin and newcomer Freddie Delacruz will face each other in July, according to unofficial returns. Colvin received 13,215 votes. Delacruz received 2,849 votes. Others in the race were Franco Webb (1,709), J. Antoine Miner (1,205), Clifton L. Johnson (1,142) and Nyrell Melvin (361).
City Council District 1
In District 1, incumbent Kathy Jensen and Alex Rodriguez won the primary, according to unofficial results. Jensen received 911 votes. Rodriguez received 576 votes. William Milbourne II received 445 votes, according to unofficial returns.
District 2
In District 2, incumbent Shakeyla Ingram and former council member Tyrone Williams were the top vote-getters, according to unofficial results. Ingram received 596 votes while Williams received 555 votes. Others in the race were Bear Dewberry (496), Janene Ackles (354) and J.V. Peterson (266).
District 3
Incumbent Antonio Jones and newcomer Mario Benavente will face off in July, according to the unofficial returns. Jones received 1,041 votes. Benavente received 620 votes. Others in the race were Kurin Keys (607), John Zimmerman (318) and Bill Ayerbe (110).
Former Councilwoman Tisha Waddell resigned from the District 3 seat in November after alleging unethical behavior by some members of the City Council. In December, the council appointed Jones to fill her seat.
District 4
Incumbent D.J. Haire and newcomer Thomas C. Greene won the primary in District 4 and advance to the July election, according to unofficial returns. Hair received 1,678 votes. Greene received 363 votes. William Grantham got 167 votes.
District 6
Derrick Thompson and Peter Pappas were the top vote-getters in District 6, according to unofficial returns. Thompson received 1,106 votes. Pappas received 798. Others in the race were Joy Marie Potts (328) and Leigh Howard (147).
District 7
Incumbent Larry Wright and Brenda McNair were the unofficial winners in the District 7 primary. Wright received 942 votes. McNair received 939. Myahtaeyarra (Myah) Warren got 242 votes.
District 9
In District 9, incumbent Yvonne Kinston and Deno Hondros won the primary, according to unofficial returns. Kinston received 801 votes. Hondros received 758. Others in the race were John Czajkowski (334) and Sonya Renita Massey (286).
Other council districts
There were no primaries in District 5 or District 8.
In District 5, incumbent Johnny Dawkins will face Frederick LaChance in July.
In District 8, incumbent Courtney Banks-McLaughlin is running for re-election against Michael Pinkston.
Cumberland County sheriff
In the race for Cumberland County sheriff, incumbent Ennis Wright advanced to face a Republican challenger in November after winning Tuesday’s Democratic primary, according to unofficial returns.
Wright received 16,340 votes. Challenger Lester A. Lowe received 4,689.
Wright will face Republican Larue Windham in November.
Board of Commissioners
Newcomer Veronica B. Jones was the top vote-getter in the Democratic primary for Cumberland County Board of Commissioners’ at-large seats. Jones received 10,913 votes. Former Commissioner Marshall Faircloth was the second-highest vote-getter with 7,215 votes, according to unofficial returns. They will advance to the general election. Others in the race were incumbent Larry Lancaster (5,775), Jackie Paul-Ray (4,558), Paul Taylor (3,865) and Ronald Pittman (2,697).
Jones and Faircloth will face Republicans John Szoka and Ron Ross in the November election for the two at-large seats.
Clerk of court
Lisa A. Scales was the top vote-getter in the Democratic primary for clerk of Superior Court. She received 17,554 votes, and Eshonda Hooper received 3,325.
District Court Judge District 12, Seat 6
Rosalyn Hood won the Democratic primary for N.C. District Court judge for District 12, Seat 6. She received 10,174 votes compared with 6,056 for Sherry Miller and 4,298 for incumbent Adam Phillips.
Republican Jonathon Strange also filed for the seat, which was previously held by Judge April Smith.
N.C. Senate District 19
Former Fayetteville City Councilwoman Val Applewhite defeated incumbent Sen. Kirk deViere in the Democratic primary in N.C. Senate District 19, according to unofficial returns. Applewhite received 7,560 votes; deViere got 4,943. Ed Donaldson received 928 votes.
Applewhite will face former state Sen. Wesley Meredith in November.
Meredith was the top vote-getter in the Republican primary with 5,764 votes. Challenger Dennis Britt received 2,198 votes.
N.C. House District 42
Incumbent Marvin Lucas won the Democratic primary for N.C. House District 42 with 2,650 votes, according to unofficial returns. Challenger Naveed Aziz received 2,101 votes.
He will face Republican Gloria Carrasco in November.
N.C. House District 43
Former state Rep. Elmer Floyd was the top vote-getter in the Democratic primary for House District 43 representative. He received 3,577 votes compared with 2,144 for Kimberly Hardy and 242 for Prince Christian.
Incumbent Diane Wheatley won the Republican primary with 2,293 votes. Challenger Clarence W. Goins Jr. received 2,173 votes.
N.C. House District 44
In the Democratic primary for N.C. House District 44, newcomer Charles Smith won with 3,632 votes, according to unofficial returns. He defeated Terry L. Johnson Sr., who received 2,251 votes.
No Republicans filed for the seat.
N.C. House District 45
Frances Jackson was the top vote-getter in the Democratic primary for N.C. House District 45 with 2,208 votes, according to unofficial returns. Fayetteville City Councilman Chris Davis received 1,737 votes, and Keith Byrd received 273.
Jackson will face Republican Susan Chapman in November.
U.S. House District 7
In the U.S. House District 7 race, Charles Graham won the Democratic primary with 12,947 votes, according to unofficial returns. Cumberland County Commissioner Charles Evans received 12,189 votes.
In the Republican primary, incumbent Rep. David Rouzer was the top vote-getter with 38,945 votes.
U.S. House District 9
Incumbent Richard Hudson won the Republican primary with 37,972 votes. He will face state Sen. Ben Clark, a Democrat, in November.
U.S. Senate
In the U.S. Senate race, former N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, who is from Fayetteville, won the Democratic primary with 497,408 votes, according to unofficial returns.
In the Republican primary, U.S. Rep. Ted Budd won with 445,343 votes.
Michael Futch covers Fayetteville and education for CityView TODAY. He can be reached at mfutch@cityviewnc.com. Have a news tip? Email news@CityViewTODAY.com.
