RALEIGH, NC — The North Carolina State Board of Elections on Wednesday ordered new elections in two local races after determining that poll worker errors compromised the integrity of the original results, an uncommon step that underscores how procedural mistakes can overturn outcomes decided by razor-thin margins.
The board voted to rerun the mayor’s race in Morehead City, where challenger Lee Stiles leads incumbent Jerry Jones by a single vote. Attorneys for Jones told the board that two eligible voters were improperly turned away and should have been offered provisional ballots under state law. Board members said the failure reflected inadequate poll worker training and raised broader concerns about how many voters may have been affected.
Because state law does not allow ballots to be cast retroactively, the board rejected requests to count only those two votes and instead ordered a new election. Stiles asked the board to declare him the winner but said he would accept a rematch. Board members emphasized that rerunning an election is rare but necessary when confidence in the process is undermined.
The board also ordered a full redo of elections in Harrellsville, a small town in Hertford County, after finding that seven of the 25 people who voted were ineligible. Poll workers failed to follow required procedures to verify eligibility and did not use authorization-to-vote forms, according to election records. The Hertford County Board declined to certify the results, prompting the state board to schedule a new election for March.
The decisions come as recent analysis shows how common close races have become in North Carolina municipal elections, with numerous contests decided by one or two votes statewide.
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