COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. -- Ballot recounts start Thursday; a request made by incumbent Sheriff Lewis Hatcher after official results show him losing to Jody Greene by 34 votes.
- Hatcher was eligible to ask for a recount because the candidates were within one percentage of a point.
- Voters have other concerns with the Columbus Co. elections that have prompted four official protest hearings.
- Plans are in place for the new sheriff to be sworn in December 3 at 9:00 a.m. at the Columbus County Courthouse.
Sheriff Hatcher was eligible to ask for a recount because the candidates were within one percentage of a point.
Aside from this, voters have other concerns with the Columbus County elections that have prompted four official protest hearings. A precinct in Tabor City opened late on Election Day because of issues with the ballots, and some voter registration information was not properly in the system.
These four protest hearings will be heard Friday at 9:00 a.m. at the Columbus County Board of Elections office.
Board of election officials said the ballot recounts could also go until Friday.
"Just like election night, those numbers will be uploading into our unity program," said Portia Bowen, Election Specialist. "All the numbers will be calculated and at that point we'll see then if those numbers are the same."
Bowen said they have about 19,000 ballots to recount, and from past experience they don't expect the results to change too much, if at all.
"I don't foresee it because the numbers, when we did our canvass, they balanced," said Bowen. "You know, I can't predict what will or will not happen but, do I foresee the numbers changing? No I don't."
Plans are in place for the new sheriff to be sworn in Monday, December 3 at 9:00 a.m. at the Columbus County Courthouse.