New Hanover Co. Commission candidate requests recount following canvass

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — After a delayed canvass, the New Hanover County Commission race remains almost unchanged.

The New Hanover Board of Elections spent Tuesday afternoon tallying up 1,586 additional absentee, provisional and paper ballots that were rejected by machines.

Although Republican Woody White, Democrat Jonathan Barfield and Republican Patricia Kusek remain the winners, one candidate is now calling for a recount.

Democrat Julia Boseman came in fourth and has requested a recount ahead of Wednesday’s deadline.

Board of Elections Director Derek Bowens says Tuesday’s canvass slightly shifted the commissioners race, making it closer.

“It did shift. The same top three — Barfield, Kusek, and Woody White — still have those three seats,” Bowens said. “But Julia Boseman as well as Derrick Hickey are within a range for recount eligibility, so they do have that option.”

Both Republican Derrick Hickey and Democrat Boseman are in the 1 percent margin of requesting a recount.

WWAY has reached out to Hickey for comment, but has not gotten a response.

Here are the official results:

Woody White: 52,844
Jonathan Barfield: 49,439
Patricia Kusek: 49,386
Julia Boseman: 49,022
Derrick Hickey: 48,956
Nelson Beaulieu: 41,892