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Coin flip decides Forest Hills race; Davis is mayor
By Lynn Hotaling
With the race still deadlocked after Tuesday’s official vote canvass, local election officials turned to George Washington to decide who would be Forest Hills’ mayor.
Incumbent Jim Davis, who called “heads” in the two-out-of-three coin toss, was declared the winner after the first U.S. president’s head came out on top twice.
Both Davis and challenger Sue Burton were present at the Board of Elections Office for the 2 p.m. canvass, and both were ready to see the matter settled, said Lisa Lehman, elections supervisor.
Burton suggested flipping a quarter, and Davis agreed. Board of Elections Chairman Steve Foster tossed the 25-cent piece to determine who would fill Forest Hills’ top elected post for the next two years.
Burton will retain her seat on the Forest Hills board for two more years.
Tuesday’s canvass did not turn up any surprises, according to Lehman, though a few totals in Webster changed due to the inclusion of five provisional ballots.
One more “no” vote in Dillsboro’s beer and wine referendum was added due to a paper ballot that had not been included in last week’s unofficial returns.
Final vote totals for the mayor and town board races and Dillsboro’s on-premises beer and wine sales vote are listed below.
Dillsboro
Mayor – Jean Hartbarger, 28 votes; T.J. Walker, 25.
Town board (five seats) – Jimmy Cabe, 49 votes; Mike Fitzgerald, 43; Jim Dukes, 39; John Faulk, 35; Bud Smith, 30; Jim Cochran, 23; Emma Wertenberger (write-in), 19; and Charlie Wise (write-in), 7.
On-premises beer sales – 38 for; 17 against.
On premises wine sales – 39 for; 15 against.
Forest Hills
Mayor – Jim Davis, 41; Sue Burton, 41.
Town board (two seats) – Jim Wallace, 65; and Dick Iobst, 62.
Sylva
Mayor – Brenda Oliver, 174; Danny Allen 81.
Town board (two seats) – Stacy Knotts, 205; and Harold Hensley, 164.
Webster
Mayor – Steve Gray, 74; Sam Gray, 60.
Town board (five seats) – Jean Davenport, 84; Louise Bedford, 83; Billie Bryson, 78; Barbara Collins, 69; Laura Spaulding, 68; Frances Berry, 60; Sharon Myers, 60; Neil Morgan (write-in), 54; and Dawn Breakiron, 21.
Write-in totals for individuals are not part of the official canvass unless a write-in candidate wins, Lehman said. Totals for all write-in candidates were unchanged with the exception of Neal Morgan in Webster, who picked up one vote during the canvass, she said.
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