Local representation in the North Carolina Senate will be split among the two major political parties.

According to the unofficial results in Senate District 3, incumbent Erica D. Smith, a Democrat, defeated Republican challenger Chuck Earley Jr. by a margin of 33,627 to 28,932.

Smith was the top vote-getter in four of the six counties in the Senate District:

Bertie: 4,250 to 2,516

Northampton: 4,533 to 2,692

Vance: 8,524 to 5,434

Warren: 4,737 to 2,446.

Earley topped the unofficial balloting in his home county of Beaufort (11,216 to 7,229); and in Martin County (4,628 to 4,354).

In the re-drawn Senate District 1, Bob Steinburg, a Republican, defeated Democrat C. Cole Phelps (39,554 to 34,729).

Steinburg, who has served in the NC House of Representatives, led the unofficial balloting in eight of the 11 counties in the District:

Camden: 2,820 to 1,177

Chowan: 3,162 to 2,335

Currituck: 6,835 to 2,919

Dare: 8,721 to 7,598

Gates: 2,157 to 2,019

Hyde: 965 to 954

Perquimans: 3,534 to 1,866

Tyrrell: 657 to 645

Phelps, a Washington County Commissioner, was the top vote-getter in Hertford (5,387 to 2,351), Pasquotank (7,053 to 6,380), and Washington (2,776 to 1,972).