Lake Norman Voters Back Republicans in Local Races

Tuesday's election results show Republicans holding firm in local races across the Lake Norman region. While Democrats gained ground in the state legislature, most local seats in Mecklenburg, Iredell, Catawba, and Lincoln counties went to Republican candidates.

In the North Carolina Senate, Republicans won all three districts covering the area. Incumbent Vickie Sawyer took District 37 with more than 56% of the vote. She received nearly 60% of the vote in Iredell County and won two of the three precincts in Cornelius. District 44 incumbent Ted Alexander won with over 64% of the vote, and District 45 incumbent Mark Hollo won with nearly 63%.

Republicans won three of four North Carolina House seats in the region. Mitchell Smith Setzer kept District 89 with over 64% of the vote in both Catawba and Iredell counties. Todd Carver retained District 95 with 55.87% of the vote, winning seven of nine precincts. Heather Rhyne won District 97 with just over 67% of the vote. The only local Democrat elected to the House was Beth Helfrich in District 98, who received just over 60% of the vote.

County boards in Iredell and Catawba were swept by Republicans. In Iredell, incumbents Bert Connolly and Scottie Brown kept their seats. Col. Brent Goddard, who retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2012, became the top vote-getter. All three Republican candidates in Iredell received more than 40,000 votes. In Catawba, Cole Setzer, Sherry Edmonds Butler, and Jay Moore won, with each Republican candidate receiving at least 33,000 votes.

The Catawba County Board of Election saw four Republicans elected, including incumbents Tim Settlemyre, Don Sigmon, and Greg Whitener, along with Matthew Fox. Each Republican candidate received roughly 26,000 votes. In Lincoln County, incumbent Sheriff Bill Beam defeated Libertarian Anthony Huss by more than 20,000 votes.

Lincolnton elected a new mayor and two council members. Jill Tipton defeated Jim Watson by 269 votes to become mayor. Todd Burgin won Ward 3 by 103 votes. Mary Frances White took Ward 1 from incumbent Kevin Demeny by 32 votes.

Three statewide constitutional amendments passed with about 60% of the vote. These changes require photo ID for voting, cap the income tax rate at 3.5%, and allow the General Assembly to set a statewide property tax levy limit.