Troxler and Atkinson retain leads in recounts for 2 races
RALEIGH - Steve Troxler and June Atkinson retained their leads Thursday after the last recount totals trickled in for the still-undecided races for state agriculture commissioner and superintendent of public instruction.
Results from all 100 counties show Republican Troxler leading Democratic incumbent Britt Cobb by 2,287 votes in the agriculture commissioner's race, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections. The advantage had been 2,656 votes after canvassing last week.
For schools superintendent, Atkinson, a Democrat, maintained a lead of 8,535 votes over Republican Bill Fletcher. Before the recount, the difference between the two had been 9,254 votes.
Fletcher has sued to keep as many as 10,000 provisional ballots from being counted because the voters cast their choice outside of their precincts.
Cobb, Fletcher and Troxler all have filed protests because 4,438 votes were lost in Carteret County when an electronic voting system failed to record ballots cast before Election Day.
The state elections board is to consider the protests the week of Nov. 29. The board could order a new election, for Carteret County or the entire state, in one or both races.
From staff and wire reports.
