By ZOË HAGGARD - zhaggard@t-g.com
The total number of registered voters in Bedford County is 28,087. But only 4,332 voters turned out for the last general election, according to the post election summary report.
There were 1,997 votes cast total on Election Day Thursday. Election results also included 74 paper absentee ballots, and 2,261 walk-in/early votes. Overall, this comes to a 15.42 percent voter turnout rate for Bedford County.
Despite the low voter turnout, several districts in the County saw tight races in this year’s election cycle.
District 5 saw six candidates running. Scott Johnson (R) came in with 477 votes and will be replacing incumbent Jeff Sweeney. Incumbent Linda Yockey (I) saw 461 out of the 1,750 total votes and will continue to occupy the commission seat.
District 1 also saw the replacement of incumbent commissioner Don Gallagher (I), who lost by 3 votes to dark horse candidate Eric Maddox (R). New to the commissiond for this district will also be Drew Hooker (R).
Independent candidate for county mayor Misty Pellar also received a fair amount of votes as a dark horse candidate running against Republican incumbent Chad Graham. From the East Side voting precinct she saw 42.77 percent of the votes and 38.15 percent of the votes from the South Side precinct.
Overall, there were 4,045 total votes for this race. Graham received 2,761 (or 68.26% of the votes). Pellar received 1,250 (or 30.9% of the votes) across the County.
The District 7 race for a seat on Bedford County School Board was the most competitive with 3 write-in candidates vying for the seat. Ultimately, Barton Williams beat out Sandra Avent and Michael Henry. Though this district had the most candidates, it had a total of only 32 votes.
Uncontested school board candidates included Brian Crews (I) of District 2, who received 350 votes out of 352; Dan Reed of (I) of District 3, who received 417 votes out of 423; and Courtney Bogle (R) of District 4, who received 427 votes of 430.
Leaving the school board for a commission seat were Diane Neeley (I), a new District 4 commissioner, and John Boutwell (R), a new District 8 commissioner. Boutwell, along with Jason Boyette (R), will be filling the seats of Ed Castleman and John Brown in District 8. Castleman and Brown have announced their retirements after many years of service to the Commission.
For full election results, click
here.
