Two Richmond County towns will have new mayors and one council gains a member following Tuesday’s municipal elections.
Challenger Amy Guinn will unseat Hamlet Mayor Bill Bayless after garnering 268 votes (52.76%) to Bayless’ 239 (47.05%).
“I am thrilled!” Guinn told the RO Tuesday night via Facebook message. “It is humbling to win this election and I look forward to serving the citizens of Hamlet.”
Guinn is not a native of Hamlet, but her husband, Chad, is. The couple moved to the Seaboard City 20 years ago from Atlanta, Georgia.
When she filed in July, Guinn told the RO that she would like to see the city “pay more attention and appreciation to the businesses currently downtown and (offer) incentives to bring new businesses,” as well as beautify the downtown area and support city employees.
All three City Council incumbents — Abbie Covington, Oscar Sellers and Maurice Stuart —retained their seats from challenger Ray Mills.
Hoffman will also see a new mayor in Karla Bostick, who secured 39 votes (65%). The other candidate, James Edward Jasper Jr. received 21 votes (35%) and there were three write-ins.
Current Mayor Tommy Hart did not file for reelection and the filing period was extended for a week by the Richmond County Board of Elections.
Council members Ricky Ricardo Anderson, Rory Jones and Daniell Kelly each received 32 votes; Kyonna Jones garnered 31 votes and Cynthia Northcutt was the lowest vote-getter with 18.
Records show there were 145 under votes on the Hoffman ballots.
Holly Littlefield Howe will join the Rockingham City Council after receiving the second-most votes in that race.
“I am so thankful for the outpouring of support in our community during this whole process!” Howe told the RO via Facebook following the election. “I cannot wait to get to work and serve our city!”
Councilman Bennett Deane had the most with 433 (30.9%), followed by Howe with 355 (24.67%) and Councilman Gene Willard with 334 (23.21%). Another challenger, Jeff Benson, secured 309 votes.
Records show there were eight write-ins and 355 under votes in the council race.
Deane and Howe will each serve a four-year term and Willard will serve a two-year term.
Councilman and former mayor Steve Morris opted not to run again this year, leaving one seat open.
Rockingham Mayor John Hutchinson was running unopposed and received 537 votes (97.46%). There were 14 write-ins for that race and 47 under votes.
In Ellerbe, Mayor Brenda Capel and council members Jeremy McKenzie and John Sears Jr. ran unopposed. Capel received 39 votes (100%); Sears and McKenzie garnered 37 and 27 votes, respectively.
Norman Mayor Tonia Collins was reelected with 10 votes; and council members Stephen Cranford, Terry Dean Parsons and Nancy Paxton —all unopposed — kept their seats.
All results are unofficial until canvassing by the Richmond County Board of Elections.
Click here to read about the Dobbins Heights election last month.
(Disclosure: Guinn was a contributor to the RO from April 2018-December 2019 and McKenzie made appearances on the RO Sports Show.)
