KITTY HAWK, N.C. — When the unofficial results of the Kitty Hawk Mayor race came through this week, it showed current Councilwoman Charlotte Walker with 366 votes and former mayor Gary Perry with 364. The Dare County Board of Elections telling News 3 the small margin means it hits the 1% rule allowing for Perry to request a recount.
On Friday the Board of Elections reviewed two provisional ballots. They determined only one was able to be counted — and it went to Walker. That makes the new margin 367 to 364 in her favor. On Friday November 14th the county will have its canvass, meaning they will determine the final official count of the election.
News 3 spoke with Perry on Friday morning before the story aired and the new count came through. He told us he is monitoring the situation and is inquiring about officially filing for a recount.
“On Friday 14th, we'll have a feel for is it still two or something else? Based on if it's still two, my duty to my constituents that voted for me, I will go in and place a letter on the Board of Elections desk and ask for an official recount," said Perry.
News 3 also spoke to Walker on Friday morning who shared a statement with us saying:
"While I am hesitant to celebrate a 2 vote margin out of 730 votes cast, I know that I maintained character and kept the best interests of our citizens at heart during my campaign. I believe in surrounding myself with the very best and most qualified people to help lead Kitty Hawk in a positive direction. My management style has always been to educate and empower my team. If I am proven the winner it will be my honor to serve as Mayor of Kitty Hawk."
The Dare County Board of Elections outling what a recount process will look like:
If a recount is requested for a valid cause, the recount would be conducted under the supervision of the county board of elections. Initially, this is typically a machine recount, where all ballots are run through a tabulator again by a bipartisan team. If the initial machine recount does not change the result, the candidate may have the right to demand a hand-to-eye recount in a sampling of the ballots for that contest. If a recount results in a tie, the winner is determined by a method of random selection (such as a coin toss or drawing names out of a box) chosen by the board of elections with jurisdiction, especially if fewer than 5,000 voters cast ballots for the contest, The results of a recount, once completed, become the official results for that contest.
Once the canvass is complete on November 14th and the official results are determined, Perry will have until the end of the business day on Monday November 17th to officially request a recount.
News 3 will continue to follow this story as we learn more.
