(The Center Square) – Three county boards said no to formal protests from state Rep. Michael Wray, D-Northampton, and his next option against unofficial primary winner Rodney Pierce is unfolding in a recount.
The narrow defeat – 35 votes of 11,939 counted – in District 27 for the House of Representatives would deny him an 11th term if it holds. The recounts were scheduled, respectively by county, in Northampton on Thursday, Halifax on Friday and Warren on Monday.
Late Friday afternoon, the published total on the state Board of Elections website showed little change. Pierce led by 34 of 11,938 counted.
At time of publication, the recount was in progress on King Street in Halifax.
There is no Republican on the November ballot.
Pierce, a schoolteacher from Roanoke Rapids, has requested Wray to concede. Gaston’s Wray was first elected in the 2004 election.
Other House members to lose in primaries were Rep. George Cleveland, R-Onslow, and Rep. Kevin Crutchfield, R-Cabarrus. Sen. Mike Woodard, D-Durham, was the lone victim in his chamber.