Pender County rejects incorporation, land transfer tax
PENDER COUNTY — One of the largest voter turnouts was in Pender County, where voters overwhelmingly rejected two controversial referenda on the ballot.
It looks like Hampstead will not become a town. Twenty-eight percent of voters were for incorporation, but 72 percent were against it.
The other hot-button issue was the land transfer tax, a proposed tax on the sale of homes and property. Almost 9,000 people voted and only 23 percent supported it.
As for the Town Council and mayoral races across the county, many were uncontested, but it was a close race for mayor in Topsail Beach.
Howard Braxton beat out Julian Bone for mayor by just 12 votes.
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