MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. -- After a competitive race, Spencer Merriweather won the race for Mecklenburg County district attorney. 

D.A. Merriweather faced public defender Toussaint Romain. Romain put himself in the middle of the protests in Charlotte after Keith Scott was shot and killed by police. Merriweather was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper last November.

Before tallying up the votes, political experts said voter turnout and name recognition could play a key role. 

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Merriweather spent the last 11 years working as an Assistant D.A., primarily working with families of homicide victims and domestic violence. He said his focus is renewing the community's trust in the criminal justice system.

"We've got to be responsive. We've got make sure that we are creative in our approaches to criminal justice and that means involving the community in what we do and that's who you earn people's trust,” said Merriweather.

View full primary election results here.