ROCKINGHAM — There will be three new faces on the Richmond County Board of Commissioners in January.
Jeff Smart, Toni Maples and Andy Grooms were each elected to the board in this year’s race.
Three candidates each from the two major political parties were in the race following the March primaries.
For the Republicans, it was Smart, Grooms and former Ellerbe mayor Lee Berry. Maples was appointed by the Republican Party to fill the ballot vacancy left when Berry pulled out of the race because of family issues.
“I have cried, I have laughed, I have cried some more,” Maples said Tuesday night after the results came in.
“I don’t care what your political affiliation is, I’m going to help you, I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure you’re taken care of,” she added. “I’m just happy that the community supports me like they do and feels that I can do the job.”
The Democrats had Jimmy Capps, the only incumbent, Michael Legrand and Dewey Brower. Legrand secured more votes than Capps in the primary.
Capps, Legrand and Brower had the most votes from absentee ballots, but the early voting and election day numbers went to the Republican candidates.
Smart was the top vote-getter with 22.2% of the vote.
“I’m just overwhelmed with the support from Richmond County,” Smart said. “I’ll do my best to do what’s right for Richmond County and live up to the trust that’s been put my way.”
Maples had 17.6% of the vote and Grooms had 16.4%
Grooms said he was “ecstatic.”
“I felt good about (my chances), but I can’t say I expected to win,” he said.
Legrand had the fourth-highest number of votes, 107 behind Grooms.
Longtime commissioners Kenneth Robinette and John Garner, chairman and vice chairman, respectively, opted not to run this year after spending more than 20 years on the board.
This means the Board will have to choose new leadership.
Commissioner Ben Moss was the first Republican to win a seat on the board in more than 100 years.
His seat will have to be filled after winning his race for N.C. House District 66 against Rep. Scott Brewer.
The commissioners-elect will join Don Bryant, Tavares Bostic and Rick Watkins on the Board. Watkins and Bostic were elected in 2018.
All results are unofficial until canvassing.
