2021 Municipal Election Results

Candidate Appears To Have Won Write In Campaign By 1 Vote

JOHNSTON COUNTY – A very light voter turnout was reported across the county Tuesday for the 2021 municipal elections. With the exception of the Town of Smithfield, all local municipalities held their elections today.

In unofficial results, a write in campaign for a town council seat appears to have been successful, winning by a single vote over an incumbent.

Archer Lodge
In the Town of Archer Lodge, where two council seats were up for reelection, the two incumbent council members were the only names on the ballot.

Teresa Bruton and Mark Wilson were both reelected to their respective seats. In unofficial results, Bruton received 48 votes and Wilson 38. There were 11 write in ballots cast.

Benson
Mayor Jerry Medlin was unopposed for reelection. He received 350 votes, in unofficial returns.

For the Town Commissioner At-Large seat, Maxine Peacock Holley won after she received 178 votes, in unofficial returns. Will Chandler received 165 votes and William Neighbors garnered 74 votes.

Clayton
Six candidates were running for three seats on the Clayton town council.

In unofficial results, Porter Casey Jr. led the ticket with 830 votes. Andria Archer finished second with 827 votes and Michael (Mike) Sims secured the third council seat with 786 votes.

Incumbent Michael Grannis was defeated. He finished fourth with 408 votes. Bob Satterfield came in fifth with 241 votes, and Alsey J. Gilbert sixth with 121 votes. A total of 17 write in ballots were cast.

The seat for Clayton mayor was not up for election in 2021.

Four Oaks
For the first time in 18 years, the Town of Four Oaks has a new mayor. Linwood Parker did not seek reelection. Mayor Pro Tem Vic Medlin was the only candidate to file for mayor.

Medlin received 125 votes, in unofficial results. There were 14 votes for write in candidates.

In the town commissioners race, where two seats were up for election, both incumbents were returned for new four-year terms.

Incumbents John Hatch received 131 votes and incumbent Mike Hines garnered 126 votes. No one filed to challenge the incumbents this year.

Kenly
In a tight race for mayor, H.L. (Tooie) Hales was elected by a slim margin Tuesday. Incumbent mayor Bonnie Williamson did not seek a new term.

Hales lead the ticket among the three candidates for the mayoral seat. Hales received 77 votes to David L. Grady with 66 votes. Thomas Wood finished a distant third with 9 votes, in unofficial results.

Two candidates filed for two Kenly town council seats. Mark Smith received 112 votes and incumbent Trinity Henderson garnered 89 votes. They did not have any opposition.

Micro
A write-in candidate appears to have won a seat on the Micro town board by one vote. There were three council seats up for election Tuesday.

Eric Christenson’s name was not on the ballot but a write-in campaign appears to have worked.

Christenson received 27 write-in votes and upset incumbent Marty Parnell who had 26 votes for the third seat.

Incumbent Russell Creech received 42 votes and Kevin Worley 41 votes, securing first and second place.

The results are unofficial and still have to be certified by the Johnston County Board of Elections.

Mayor Jay Warren was unopposed and received 47 votes. There were three write-in votes for mayor.

Pine Level
Even though there were no contested races in Pine Level this year, a few dozen voters still showed up at the poll in Pine Level on Tuesday. Incumbent mayor Jeff Holt was reelected with 61 votes.

Incumbent council members Greg Baker, Jimmy Garner, Phil Pittman, and Bill Radford were reelected. In unofficial returns, Baker received 49 votes, Pittman 47 votes, Radford 47 votes, and Garner 43 votes. There were seven write in ballots cast.

Princeton
Four candidates were running for two seats on the Princeton Town Council. After the votes were counted, incumbent Broderick Robinson was the top vote-getter with 67 votes, in unofficial returns. Michael Edwin Holmes appears to have secured the second seat with 53 votes. Jimmy L. Tart Jr. finished a close third with 45 votes. Ashley Boyette had 26 votes and finished in fourth place.

Incumbent Mayor Don Rains was unopposed and was reelected with 80 votes. There were a total of 14 write in ballots submitted for Princeton mayor.

Selma
One of the most contested municipal races in Johnston County this year was for the Selma Town Council. Eight candidates were running for two seats being vacated by the incumbents.

In unofficial results, Bruce McKay and Amy W. Whitley won those two seats. McKay finished in first place with 150 votes. Whitley secured the second seat with 121 votes.

Former town councilman William Overby was not successful in his bid to return to the board. He finished third with 103 votes. Rich Nixon finished fourth with 87 votes.

Troy LaPlante finished in fifth place 42 votes, Kayla Jentes-Sagester was sixth with 40 votes.

Tommy Holmes, who had previously served several years ago on the town council received 26 votes and finished in seventh place. Monica Antes finished in last place with 22 votes, in unofficial results.

Byron McAlister was elected as Selma’s new mayor. He was unopposed and received 294 votes. Mayor Cheryl Oliver did not seek reelection.

Wilson’s Mills
By a 12 vote margin, Wilson’s Mills residents elected Fleta A. Byrd as Mayor. Three candidates were running for the seat after former mayor Jim Uzzle Jr. resigned suddenly in March 2021. Phillip Wright, who had been on the town council when Uzzle stepped down before the term ended, had been serving as interim mayor.

Byrd, Wright and Shawn Fritz were all seeking the mayor’s seat.

In unofficial results, Byrd received 64 votes, Fritz 52 votes, and Wright 22 for mayor.

Three seats were up for election on the town council and all three office holders were returned to their seats.

Tim Brown, who was appointed to Mr. Wright’s seat on the town council when Wright became interim mayor, secured 101 votes. Incumbents Randy Jernigan received 100 votes and David McGowan 82 votes, in unofficial results.