Lt. governor, auditor candidates determined for November election
Weatherman and Boliek
By Becky Long
Publisher
Tuesday’s runoff in the Republican Primary generated a modest turnout on the local and state levels compared to the March election. However, it did resolve who will represent the GOP on the November ballot for lieutenant governor and state auditor.
Hal Weatherman emerged as the victor in the lieutenant governor’s race with 95,465 votes or 74 percent statewide over Jim O’Neill who finished with 32,825 or 26 percent.
In Clay County Weatherman also led by a large margin with 272 compared to O’Neill who received 59 votes.
Weatherman will face Democrat challenger Rachel Hunt in November.
Current Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is running for governor this year. He will face Democrat and current Attorney General Josh Stein.
The auditor’s race proved to be closer and flip-flopped from the March 5 primary numbers when Jack Clark won the vote 198,793 compared to Boliek’s 189,071, according to the State Board of Elections.
Neither candidate received more than 30 percent of the vote which prompted the runoff.
In the second primary, Boliek secured his spot on the November ballot over Clark by a margin of 66,370 to 58,248 or 53 to 47 percent of the votes.
In Clay County, Boliek received 171 votes to Jack Clark’s 142, according to the N.C. Board of Elections.
Boliek will vie for the seat against Democrat Jessica Holmes in November. Holmes is currently serving as auditor after being appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper in December. She filled a vacancy created by the resignation of Auditor Beth Wood.
The turnout for the secondary primary was about 4 percent in Clay County and about 3 percent statewide. Early voting generated 140 ballots cast and eight absentee by mail. On election day 184 local residents voted and there were two provisionals.
In the runoff, only Republicans and unaffiliated voters who voted the GOP ballot in March were eligible to cast a ballot.
In Clay County there were 8,247 Republicans and unaffiliated voters eligible to participate in the second primary, according to Director Rebecca Hall.
Overall the county voter registration stands at 9,834 and that total is made up of 4,777 Republicans; 3,616 unaffiliated; 1,378 Democrats; 61 Libertarians and two no labels.