WINDSOR – Bertie County Sheriff John Holley received a resounding endorsement here Tuesday night.

The sheriff, who was appointed to office earlier this year, earned election to his own four-year term by securing more than 65 percent of the votes in unofficial returns from the Bertie County Board of Elections. Sheriff Holley was selected on 4,234 ballots compared to 2,279 votes cast in favor of Republican challenger Brian Knowles.

Sheriff Holley won 10-of-12 precincts and also secured the highest number of ballots in One-Stop Voting.

One-Stop helped the sheriff gain his first full term in office as he received 1,338 votes in the Windsor One-Stop Voting center compared to 602 for Knowles while Sheriff Holley received 307 votes in the Powellsville center with 177 casting ballots for his opponent.

Windsor I was also a deciding factor for Sheriff Holley as he received 554 votes compared to 232 for Knowles. He also handily won Colerain II where he had 243 votes to 94 for Knowles and Woodville (276-33).

Sheriff Holley also won Mitchell’s I (139-125), Mitchell’s II (185-159), Roxobel (332-101), Snakebite (167-33), Indian Woods (123-7) and Merry Hill (148-95).

Knowles won two precincts as he captured 166 votes in Colerain I to Sheriff Holley’s 120. He also won Windsor II (236-84).