By Liz Moomey
liz.moomey@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The Rowan County Board of Elections on Friday announced primary election results were official and the winners were unchanged from March 3.

In Rowan County, 28.3%, or 25,949, of registered voters cast a ballot in the election.

Elections Director Brenda McCubbins said there were not any “hiccups” with the election. Though at the Bradshaw precinct, she said, a backup Electronic Voter iDentification, or EViD, was used temporarily because of high humidity.

The state Board of Elections audited the presidential results for the East Spencer and Unity precincts. McCubbins said everything was exact.

Of the 93 provisional ballots cast, the Rowan County Board of Elections accepted 66 of them. Thirty-six ballots were partial, mostly due to party disputes. The board accepted those voters’ choice on the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College bond referendum because it was a nonpartisan ballot question. Thirty ballots were completely approved.

The board approved 263 absentee ballots. McCubbins said staff processed 92 absentee ballots on Thursday — 89 were civilian, one was military and two were from overseas. The previous absentee ballots were approved on Election Day.

At early voting, about 142 people registered to vote.

In the presidential races:

In 40 of the 41 Rowan County precincts, Democratic voters chose former Vice President Joe Biden are their pick to be the nominee. In the Morgan II precinct, at West Liberty Fire Department, Democratic voters selected U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders as their top pick for the Democratic presidential nomination. Of the 53 voters who cast a Democratic ballot at that precinct, 17 chose Sanders, 13 selected Biden and nine voted for former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

Biden received 4,799 votes, 46%, in Rowan County. Sanders got 2,393 votes, 23%. Bloomberg followed with 1,507 votes, 14.5%.

Republican President Donald Trump easily won in Rowan County getting 14,447, 95% votes. The “no preference” option in the Republican presidential race followed with 274 ballots cast, or 1.8%.

Bill Weld, who previously served as Massachusetts governor and is running as a Republican for president, won the West Ward III precinct, at Miller Recreation Center, with four votes compared to Trump’s three votes. 

Democratic candidate for N.C. Senate District 33:

In Rowan County, political newcomer Tarsha Ellis won in 29 precincts. Her challenger, Rowan County Democratic Party Chair Geoffrey Hoy won in 10 precincts, including West Ward II, where he resides. In two precincts, Rockwell and Morgan II, the candidates tied.

District 33 stretches to Stanly County. Ellis won in 20 of Stanly County’s 22 precincts.

Rowan County Republican commissioner race:

The top two vote-getters in the primary will almost certainly take the two open seats in November because there’s no declared competition. Incumbents Mike Caskey and Craig Pierce received the most votes.

Caskey came out on top in 30 precincts. Pierce won in six precincts, Franklin, Trading Ford, Unity, East Spencer and Gold Knob.

Former China Grove Mayor Lee Withers, a challenger, won in four precincts: China Grove (his home precinct, with 36.6%), Bostian School, West Ward I and North Ward.

Rowan County Community College bonds:

The Rowan County Community College bonds passed with 31 precincts’ support. Majority “no” vote precincts included Barnhardt Mill, Bostian Crossroads, Rock Grove, Morgan I, Morgan II, Gold Knob, Scotch Irish, Steele, Unity and Bostian School.

Across the county, the bond passed with 14,356 votes, or 57%.