ROCKINGHAM — Two Richmond County towns will have new mayors following Tuesday’s municipal elections.
John Hutchinson and Brenda Capel won their races in Rockingham and Ellerbe, respectively.
Hutchinson, mayor pro tem of the Rockingham City Council, garnered more support than incumbent Mayor Steve Morris and challenger Michael McRae.
Early voting totals had Hutchinson leading with nearly 50% of the vote.
By the time all the votes were in, Hutchinson won with 581 votes over Morris’ 320 and McRae’s 283.
Hutchinson said he was excited when he heard the news during a get-together at Ella’s Ballroom.
“There was so much energy behind the campaign,” Hutchinson said, adding that the leadership change is “exciting for Rockingham in the sense that people are engaged.”
“They’re talking about ideas …what the town can become…what they want it to be,” Hutchinson continued. “That’s healthy for the town.”
One of Hutchinson’s main goals is working on building relationships between Rockingham and the other municipalities across the county.
Another is building a sense of community in the city, including increasing family activities, improving the quality of life and having the city be “accessible to everyone.”
“We’ve done a lot of things right, but there’s still need for improvement,” he said.
Hutchinson was first appointed in 2005 to fill an unexpired term on the council.
He is also the owner of Great Falls Wealth Management, past president of the Rockingham Downtown Corporation, and a local historian.
The City Council will have to appoint someone to fill the remaining two years of Hutchinson’s unexpired term on the board.
Capel ousted Ellerbe Mayor Fred Cloninger 95 to 84.
She could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
As for the Ellerbe Town Council, incumbents Jean Fletcher and Elsie Freeman were reelected and Bennett Hawks was elected to fill the seat currently held by Archie Robinson, who did not file. John Sears will continue to fill out the remainder of Joe Grooms’ unexpired term.
All three incumbents on the Rockingham City Council — Denise Sullivan, Gene Willard and Anne Edwards — were reelected. Sullivan was the top vote-getter, followed by Edwards. Willard came in third, which means he will have a two-year term.
There were also 674 under votes in that election, which means those voters didn’t choose the full slate of three candidates on the ballot.
In Hoffman, newcomer Kyonna Jones tied Rory K. Jones for the second-most votes. Kyonna Jones will get the seat currently held by John Taylor, who didn’t file. Daniel Kelly had the most votes. The other candidates, Riccardo Anderson and Cynthia Northcutt also ran unopposed, as did Mayor Tommy Hart.
All candidates in Hamlet — Mayor Bill Bayless and Councilmen Jesse McQueen and Eddie Martin — also ran unopposed.
All vote totals are unofficial until canvassing, which begins at 11 a.m. Nov. 9.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Rockingham Mayor
John Hutchinson – 581
Steve Morris – 320
Michael McRae – 283
Rockingham City Council
Denise Sullivan – 749
Anne Edwards – 683
Gene Willard – 637
Jeff Benson – 442
Chris Tuner – 363
Write-in – 13
Hamlet Mayor
Bill Bayless – 163
Write-in – 5
Hamlet City Council
Jesse McQueen – 137
Eddie Martin – 136
Write-in – 8
Ellerbe Mayor
Brenda Capel – 95
Fred Cloninger – 85
Ellerbe Town Council
Jean Fletcher – 115
Elsie Freeman – 99
Bennett Hawks – 98
Thomas Grooms -88
Write-in – 1
Unexpired Term
John Sears Jr. 144
Write-in – 3
Hoffman Mayor
Tommy Hart – 36
Write-in – 1
Hoffman Town Council
Daniel Kelly – 31
Rory K. Jones – 29
Kyonna Jones – 29
Cynthia Northcutt – 28
Riccardo Anderson – 24
Write-in – 6
