Candidates and their supporters gather around Town Attorney Carroll Turner, right, as he reads the unofficial totals of the Tuesday, Nov. 7, municipal election. Hazel Wiggins, left, rests her hand on the shoulder of her husband, at-large Commissioner Steve Wiggins, who lost his bid for mayor to Jerome Newton. Also listening are Robert King, center, who lost his bid for the at-large board seat to Danny Keel, fifth from left. The results are unofficial until the Nov. 17 vote canvass. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Standing in front of the Historic Train Depot following the 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, poll closing, Mount Olive Town Attorney Carroll Turner, left, and District 4 Commissioner Tommy Brown look over the unofficial vote totals in which Brown defeated Robert King to win his second term on the town board. The results are unofficial until the Nov. 17 vote canvass. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
An election worker helps a voter with curbside voting during Mount Olive’s municipal election. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Gloria Martin holds up her ‘I Voted’ sticker after voting Tuesday, Nov. 7, in Mount Olive’s municipal election. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Danny Keel
Jerome Newton
Mount Olive voters elected a new mayor and one new board member and returned four incumbents in the town’s Tuesday, Nov. 7, nonpartisan municipal elections.
The results are unofficial until the Nov. 17 vote canvass.
Jerome Newton defeated at-large Commissioner Steve Wiggins with 361 votes (50.77%) to 347 votes (48.80% to win the mayoral race.
Wiggins outpolled Newton 304 votes to 279 votes on Election Day.
However, Newton topped Wiggins 82 votes to 37 votes during one-stop early voting to seal the victory. Wiggins also received six absentee by mail votes.
Mayor Kenny Talton did not seek reelection.
It was Newton’s second attempt at winning the seat having lost to Talton in the previous election.
Retired law enforcement officer and long-time rescue volunteer Danny Keel defeated Robert King in the race for the at-large seat.
Keel had 508 votes (73.30 percet) to 181 votes (26.12 percet) for King.
The mayor and commissioners will serve two-year terms beginning on the first Monday in December.
District 1 Commissioner Vicky Darden won her fourth term defeating challengers Annie Carol Simmons and Brenda Lee Simpson.
Darden received 62 votes (40.52 percent) to 47 (30.72 percent) for Simmons and 44 (28.76 percent) for Simpson.
Simmons is the mother of District 2 Commissioner Delreese Simmons who won his second term.
Simmons defeated former commissioner Harlie Carmichael by a margin of 151 votes (72.25 percent) to 58 (27.75 percent).
Simmons first unseated Carmichael in the previous election.
District 3 Commissioner Barbara Kornegay was the only uncontested candidate for town board.
She received 139 votes (97.20 percent). There were 4 write-in votes.
District 4 Commission Tommy Brown won his second term turning back challenger Blake Turner.
Brown had 117 votes (63.59 percent) to 65 (35.33 percent) for Turner.
