Macon County had a turnout of 56.47% in the General Election. Prior to Election Day on Nov. 8, 9,672 people had voted early or with absentee by mail ballots. The total number of ballots cast in the election was 15,793. During the 2020 General Election, which was a presidential election year, the turnout was 76.68% with 20,827 ballots cast.
“I think we had tremendous turnout for this election,” said Melanie Thibault, Board of Elections director. “We had a lot of voter participation as well as observer participation this election.”
As the 2022 election season winds down, there will be some changes in county government, with the Republicans taking many of the county’s top positions. For the first time since 2002 there will be a new sheriff. Long-time Republican sheriff Robert Holland is retiring, and Brent Holbrooks (R) was elected as the new sheriff. That race was decided in the May primary as there were no Democrats running for that position. Holbrooks received 12,362 votes in the General Election.
The Board of Commissioners will be fully Republican with the election of Republican candidates John Shearl (District 1), Danny Antoine (District 2) and incumbent Gary Shields. Democratic incumbent Ronnie Beale lost his bid for re-election to District 2 after 16 years on the board.
The Board of Education also gained two new members – Stephanie Hyder Laseter and Diedre Kaye Breeden.
Republican Shawna Thun Lamb was elected to the Clerk of Court position, receiving 11,264 votes. Her Democratic opponent Dinah Mashburn announced in September she was suspending her campaign and pledged support for Lamb. Mashburn received 4,101 votes. Lamb has been serving as interim Clerk of Court since longtime Clerk Vic Perry, a Democrat, retired in May.
“I just want to thank everyone that came out and voted for me I am truly humbled by how many votes I received,” Lamb said. “I also want to send a huge thank you to my dad, Charles Thun, for being at the polls every day when I couldn’t because I was working. Also, thank you to my family for being here for me.”
Incumbent Register of Deeds Todd Raby (D) ran unopposed and received 8,588 votes.
The Board of Education members will be sworn in at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 5 at the Central Office. The sheriff and clerk of court are set to be sworn in at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 5 at the courthouse.
Sales tax vote
More than 50% of the voters cast ballots against the proposed local option sales tax that had been proposed as a way to help pay for a new Franklin High School and other school capital improvements. The referendum asked voters to choose if they were for or against a one-quarter percent (1/4%) local sales and use tax. It was estimated the sales tax increase would generate an additional $2 million each year for school improvements. The tax would not have applied to gas and grocery purchases.
The sales tax proposal was defeated with 8,246 (54.89%) voting against and 6,776 (45.11%) voting for.
Commissioner Gary Shields has been one of the people leading the effort for a new high school and prior to the election spoke in favor of the proposed sales tax increase. “I will have to take some ownership because I may not have explained the 1/4 cent sales tax well enough when I had the opportunity,” he said following the election. “I will evaluate the process for the next election in 2024 and may try again in putting it back on the ballot.”
Incoming Commissioner Danny Antoine said he thinks people are fearful of a tax increase because of the current economy and inflation. “I do believe they want a new high school for our community, and hopefully, soon, this will become a reality. I have heard from so many of our community members and believe that it will happen and be supported by most of our citizens,” he said. “There are a few points of revenue that we will be discussing with the board to help fund the high school project. Once we have had that discussion, we will bring it forth to the citizens.”
Commissioner-elect John Shearl said “the people have spoken” through their vote on the sales tax issue. “They do not want or cannot afford to pay more in taxes. A lot of our people in our county and our country are struggling to survive. Two thirds of our working families are living paycheck to paycheck,” he said. “Inflation is highest it has been in decades, interest rates are soaring, gas and oil prices are extremely high, cost of groceries and medicine is outrageous, utilities and all goods and service costs are soaring. Our people on a fixed income are struggling to exist now. We must be very careful and have some serious adult conversations about how we move forward with new projects.”
N.C. Legislature
State Sen. Kevin Corbin (R) retained his seat representing the 50th District of Macon, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Haywood and Swain counties. In Macon County, Corbin received 11,698 votes, and his challenger Karen Burnette McCracken (D) received 3,903.
“I’m very thankful for the voters for placing their confidence back in me,” Corbin said.
Corbin received 74.98% of the votes in Macon County, indicating he earned votes from all parties. “I am appreciative of folks of all political persuasions for their support and vote of confidence,” he said.
This will be Corbin’s second term in the state Senate, and prior to that he served in the state House of Representatives from 2016-2020.
State Rep. Karl Gillespie ran unopposed for a second term representing the 120th District and received 12,185 votes in Macon County. The district includes Macon, Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties.
Members of the legislature will be sworn in during a ceremonial opening session on Jan. 11 and then return to Raleigh for the start of session on Jan. 25.
Corbin was one of the first Republicans to come out in support of Medicaid expansion and expects it come up for a vote again in the new session. A bill for expansion passed the Senate during the last legislative session but did not get consensus from the House. He says they’ve been working in the off-season to come up with a compromise that he thinks has a good chance of passing both the Senate and the House this year.
He said funding for broadband expansion also will continue to be a priority in the coming year.
Election results
The election canvass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18 in the Board of Elections office and is open to the public. At that time the board will approve timely returned absentee ballots (75-100) and the 58 provisional ballots cast on Election Day. “I don’t see those ballots making a significant change in most races, but it could possibly effect the school board race,” Thibault said.
The following are the unofficial election results from Macon County.
Board of Commissioners
District 1 (1 seat)
John Shearl (R) 9,350
Jerry Moore (U) 5,570
Board of Commissioners
District 2 (2 seats)
Gary Shields (R) 9,794
Danny Antoine (R) 9,179
Ronnie Beale (D) 5,295
Betty Cloer Wallace (D) 2,596
Board of Education
District 2 (1 seat)
Stephanie Hyder Laseter 4,020
Danny Reitmeier 3,846
Billy Handley 3,202
Tommy Cabe (deceased) 1,844
Write-In 55
Board of Education
District 4 (1 seat)
Diedre Kaye Breeden 7,250
Carol Arnold 5,887
Write-In 39
Local Sales and Use Tax
Against 8,246
For 6,776
Clerk of Superior Court
Shawna Thun Lamb (R) 11,264
Dinah Roper Mashburn (D) 4,101
NC State Senate District 50
Kevin Corbin (R) 11,698
Karen Burnette McCracken (D) 3,903
NC House of Representatives District 120
Karl E. Gillespie (R) 12,185
Register of Deeds
Todd Raby (D) 8,588
Sheriff
Brent Holbrooks (R) 12,362
Soil and Water Conservation (2 seats)
Matthew C. Reynolds 8,519
Pam Peek Bell 8,249
Write-In 139
US Senate
Ted Budd (R) 10,648
Cheri Beasley (D) 4,564
Shannon W. Bray (L) 275
Matthew Hoh (G) 138
US House of Representatives District 11
Chuck Edwards (R) 10,791
Jasmine Beach-Ferrara (D) 4,492
David Adam Coatney (L) 314
State Supreme Court
Associate Justice – Seat 3
Richard Dietz (R) 10,920
Lucy Inman (D) 4,549
Associate Justice – Seat 5
Trey Allen (R) 10,781
Sam J. Ervin IV (D) 4,690
NC Court of Appeals Judge – Seat 8
Julee Tate Flood (R) 10,689
Carolyn Jennings Thompson (D) 4,681
NC Court of Appeals Judge – Seat 9
Donna Stroud (R) 10,927
Brad A. Salmon (D) 4,428
NC Court of Appeals Judge – Seat 10
John M. Tyson (R) 10,725
Gale Murray Adams (D) 4,614
NC Court of Appeals Judge – Seat 11
Michael J. Stading (R) 10,740
Darren Jackson (D) 4,573
NC Superior Court Judge – Seat 1
William H. (Bill) Coward (R) 11,997
N.C. District Court Judge
District 30 Seat 1
Donna Forga (R) 11,636
N.C. District Court Judge
District 30 Seat 2
Kristina Lynn Earwood (R) 11,774
N.C. District Court Judge
District 30 Seat 3
Roy Wijewickrama (D) 6,771
District Attorney District 43
Ashley Hornsby Welch (R) 11,865