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The races in Ellerbe and Hoffman featured no surprises, and what the voters saw on the ballot is what they got in office.
In the Rockingham race, incumbent Mayor Gene McLaurin routed opponent Bruce Stanback, gaining 80 percent of the vote. The total was 1,392 to 358.
In Hamlet, incumbent Mayor Jeff Smart won by a comfortable margin in a more competitive election, gaining 60 percent of the vote against challenger Jesse McQueen. The vote was 612 to 415.
In the Rockingham City Council race, challenger Travis Billingsley joined incumbent Councilman Steve Morris, who was the top vote-getter, and Councilman John Hutchinson in being elected to the city’s panel.
Councilwoman Shirley Fuller was the leading vote-getter among those not chosen, with Teressa Beavers and Jerry Austin Jr. following her.
The numbers were 910 for Morris, 899 for Billingsley, 869 for Hutchinson, 793 for Fuller, 732 for Beavers and 464 for Austin.
Hamlet’s citizens retained incumbent Councilwoman Abbie Covington, and also gave the nod to challenger Dr. Diane Honeycutt as the top vote-getter, leaving first-time candidate Johnathan Buie as the odd man out.
The total in the Hamlet race was 725 for Honeycutt, 676 for Covington and 511 for Buie.
Earlier in the day, the spirits were high outside Rockingham and Hamlet polling stations, with candidates and supporters clamoring to reach as many voters as possible in the moments before they walked in to cast their ballots.
Supporters from opposite sides of the spectrum vied for the attention of prospective voters within feet of each other, but the mood remained congenial at all four voting precincts.
Nowhere was this better exemplified than outside Rockingham’s Leath Memorial Library where McLaurin supporter Kirby Woodard and Stanback supporter Daryl Mason stood side-by-side, talking and laughing when they weren’t handing out campaign literature for their respective candidate.
“He knows it’s nothing personal - it’s just business,” Mason giggled.
“We’re good friends, we just have different opinions,” Woodard explained.
“This won’t have any effect on our friendship with each other,” Mason picked up. “That’s the good, old American way.”
Inside Rockingham’s Second Precinct, Chief Judge Joan Gibson said approximately 200 had voted as of 10:30 a.m.
“It’s been good,” she said. “It’s been a tad slow, but it’s been somewhat consistent.”
Gibson said the rush typically comes between noon and 2 p.m., then again after 5:30.
Back outside, Rockingham City Councilwoman Fuller and challenger Billingsley were letting people know what they stand for at the last minute.
“All the voters who are coming are very enthusiastic,” Fuller said. “I’m just hoping that all the citizens will come out and vote, and the weather’s cooperating so I’m hoping the enthusiasm of the day will get them out here.”
“There has been a lot of Travis Billingsley support today, and I’ve been encouraged,” Billingsley said. “Folks are ready for a change. They’re ready for some new ideas, and just some new perspective.”
At Rockingham’s First Precinct at Browder Park, both mayoral candidates were joined by Councilman Morris and challenger Beavers, and various supporters of each candidate, shaking hands and handing out literature.
Evonne Moore said she’d voted in every Rockingham election for 28 years, and has done campaign work for some candidate the majority of that time. She was handing out cards supporting the city’s incumbents.
“I just feel like they’ve done an outstanding job, and I’m satisfied with what they’ve done,” she said. “People get out here with intensity, but everybody has respect for the other party, and we know people have the right to support whoever they want to.”
Inside the precinct, Chief Judge Judy Bennett said 163 had cast their vote as of 11 a.m.
“It’s been slow,” she said. “We had some waiting, but then it kind of fizzled and they would dwindle through.”
Rockingham Mayor McLaurin shook hands and talked with voters outside.
“I’ve been very encouraged by the early turnout, and the support I’ve received,” he said. “It’s been 10 years since I’ve faced opposition, and it’s very encouraging to hear people say ‘I’m here because I appreciate they job you’ve done and the way you’ve represented us.’ It makes me feel very good.”
Less than 20 feet away, mayoral candidate Stanback stood with several supporters and said he has also been encouraged by the reception he’s gotten from voters.
City Council incumbent Morris said he enjoyed seeing the democratic process in action.
“Everybody’s having a big time,” he said. “It’s the American way, and this is greatest place in the world to do something like this.”
Council challenger Beavers said she was anxious for the outcome of the vote, but thanked everyone for their support.
“We’re encouraged,” she said. “Everybody’s been encouraged. It’s been a good turnout so far, a lot of people have done a lot to help me and I appreciate that.”
In Hamlet, the mood was comparable to that of Rockingham, and turnout seemed to be even if not a little higher at Mark’s Creek Precinct Two, where more than 400 voted before lunch.
“It’s been really good,” Chief Judge Sandra Harris said. “We’ve been pleased with the turnout. It’s been steady, but in between 10 (a.m.) and 12 (p.m.), we had a big influx of voters.”
She said the voters were “calm and polite. Everybody’s been in a good mood.”
Outside the precinct, the camps of Mayor Smart and Council candidate Buie had tents set up, and Councilwoman Covington and supporters of she and Honeycutt were also outside.
Covington said she’d been there campaigning since 6 a.m., when the temperature was around 40 degrees.
“We thought, here we go, this is going to be a long day,” she said. “But it’s fun to see everybody, and we’re just having a lot of fun, and we’ve had a good turnout.”
She said she was planning a celebration, but that doesn’t mean she’s over-confident.
“Once this is over, it’s a celebration, especially if you’re a candidate,” Covington said.
Smart said he’d also been receiving positive reactions from the voters.
“So far I have,” he said. “I don’t know what the numbers are, so we’ll have to wait and see, but it’s been beautiful weather. I’m hoping by the end of this all we’ll have 1,100 or 1,200 vote. That’s typical for a municipal election in Hamlet.”
Buie said no matter the outcome, “Hamlet voters haven’t seen the last of me.”
“I’ve had nothing but positive feedback,” he said. “I actually got out on foot and went door-to-door talking with people, and I got a lot of positive feedback. And, it’s not over, if not this time, there’ll be another election in two years.”
Council candidate Dr. Honeycutt was outside Mark’s Creek Precinct One, where she said the people of Hamlet were being very positive.
“They all seem to have a positive attitude, and they’re all coming over to speak,” she said. “I’m always amazed by the positive attitudes of the people of Hamlet, and a lot of people came out to work (campaigning) that we didn’t know were going to, so that’s a good thing.”
The mayoral and town council races of Ellerbe and Hoffman had one registered candidate apiece for each position.
In Ellerbe, first-time candidate Olivia Webb was elected Mayor of Ellerbe with 90 votes.
Ellerbe Town Council elected Councilwoman Brenda Chambers with 98 votes, Councilman Jerry Meacham with 98 votes and Councilman Evon Craven with 86 votes.
Hoffman Mayor Jo Ann Jasper-Thomas received 44 votes to be re-elected. Hoffman Mayor Pro-Tem Tommy Hart gained 44 votes for reelection, Councilman Kevin Jones received 41, Councilman Daniel Kelly received 41, Councilman Terry Thomas received 40 and Councilman Lee Butler received 38.
Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.
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