The unofficial results are in for the local elections in Hertford County.

In the most heated race of this election cycle, it appears incumbent District 2 Commissioner Ronald Gatling has won. He was named on 1,400 ballots; edging out Darren Smallwood (1,360 votes) and Scott Outlaw (1,341 votes). Maurice Vann, who dropped out of the race after the ballots were printed, received 306 votes.

In District 1, former School Board member John Horton (1,823 votes) defeated incumbent Commissioner F. Garry Lewter (1,340 votes), according to the unofficial numbers. Political newcomer R. Craig Castello Jr. was named on 1,188 ballots.

In a special election for Ahoskie Town Council Ward B, Charles B. Reynolds (359 votes) defeated Donald Kim Kirkland (88 votes).

In Northampton, two incumbent County Commissioners have been defeated according to the unofficial results from Tuesday’s Primary Election.

In the District 1 race, former Board of Education member Charles R. Tyner Sr. defeated incumbent Joseph R. Barrett. Tyner collected 2,445 votes (51.95%) compared to 2,261 votes for Barrett (48.05%).

Meanwhile, the District 2 race saw Geneva N. Riddick (2,362 votes – 53.28%) upset incumbent Virginia D. Spruill (2,071 votes – 46.72%).

Incumbent Register of Deeds Robin Phillips Williams captured nearly 70 percent of the vote en route to winning her first-ever election. Williams, appointed to fill an unexpired term, was named on 3,013 ballots, easily defeating Mary Faison (1,325 votes).

Four seats on the Northampton County Board of Education were up for grabs with six individuals on the ballot. The top four were Keedra Whitaker (3,246 votes), Clinton M. Williams (3,151), Richie Harding (3,003), and Lloyd D. Pitman (2,961). Rounding out the field were Marjorie Edwards (2,012 votes), and Tyrone Hargrove (1,234).

Northampton voters, by nearly a 9-to-1 margin, soundly defeated a measure to add 9.92 cents to the county’s tax rate that would be used to build a new combo middle school / high school. That proposal was turned down with 4,924 voters saying “no” while only 662 were in favor of the proposal.

Michael H. Wray, the incumbent District 27 member of the NC House of Representatives, appears to be well on his way to November’s General Election ballot where he will face no announced opposition.

In Tuesday’s Democratic Primary, Wray, who lives in Gaston, defeated the challenge of local minister Franklin D. Williams Jr. of Weldon.

The unofficial results show Wray with 6,305 votes (54.34%) while Williams was named on 5,298 ballots (45.66%).

Wray carried both counties (Halifax and Northampton) that comprise District 27. He actually faired better in Halifax where he collected 3,891 votes compared to 2,914 for Williams. In Northampton, Wray edged Williams by a slim margin (2,414 to 2,384).

Wray, a small business owner, has served District 27 for five terms.