MANTEO — Ahoskie native J.D. “Doug” Doughtie won the Dare County Sheriff’s race during Tuesday’s General Election.

Doughtie, the son of the late Sammy and Janice Doughtie, got his start in law enforcement with the Ahoskie Police Department. His son, Brent, is a current member of the Ahoskie Police Department.

Prior to his death, Sammy Doughtie was a longtime radio personality and manager for stations in Ahoskie and Murfreesboro. He served as the “Voice of Ahoskie/Hertford County High School football” for decades.

Doug Doughtie launched his law enforcement career on Sept. 8, 1977 – his 20^th birthday. Working under APD Chiefs Raymond Warren and Jake Willoughby, Doughtie rose to the rank of Lieutenant before leaving Ahoskie in July of 1989 to accept a job with the Dare County Sheriff’s Office. He remained there until his retirement on Sept. 1, 2006.

Even in retirement, Doughtie remained busy, working as an Officer and Investigator with the Duck Police Department on the Outer Banks.

Earlier this year, Doughtie formally announced his intentions to seek the office of Dare County Sheriff. He won the Republican Primary in May, sending him to Tuesday’s General Election where he faced Democratic incumbent Rodney W. Midgett.

In Tuesday’s balloting, Doughtie captured 6,640 votes (55.78 percent) to unseat Midgett (5,264 votes; 44.22 percent).