ELIZABETHTOWN — The Bladen County Board of Elections carried out its canvas of the special congressional June 6 primary and had to redact one vote, as well as discount a number of absentee ballots that were received too late.

According to a report from Board of Elections Director Cynthia Shaw, one local voter mailed in an absentee ballot and then voted at the One Stop site at the Elizabethtown Public Library. The absentee ballot, according to North Carolina law, was redacted after the voter history showed the dual vote.

The board also used only a partial vote when a provisional ballot was turned in for the Republican ticket by an individual who was still a registered Democrat. Since the voter had not changed his registration, only the portion of the ballot that had to do with the nonpartisan election for associate Superior Court judge was accepted.

In all, a total of 1,866 ballots were cast for the June 6 primary — 374 absentee and 281 at the One Stop site. Reports show 768 Republican ballots were cast and 1,098 nonpartisan ballots cast.

Although Robert Pittinger has retained his lead in the Republican primary for the House seat in the 9th congressional district, he trailed far behind two challengers in Bladen County. Todd Harris won Bladen with 515 votes and Mark Harris was second with 196.

Harris is expected to ask for a recount, since the margin is so slim district wide.

In the nonpartisan associate Superior Court judge seat race, the post-canvas totals show Michael Morgan with 934, Robert Edmunds with 581, Daniel Roberson with 156 and Sabra Faires with 71.

Staff report