Politics in the Cape Fear region is never boring, but the latest new hanover county election results really took things to a weird, split-down-the-middle level. Honestly, if you were looking for a "red wave" or a "blue wall," you’re going to be disappointed. It was more like a purple puddle where everyone got a little bit wet and nobody walked away perfectly dry.
Basically, we saw a county that couldn't decide if it wanted to go left or right, so it just did both. Kamala Harris actually took the county by a razor-thin margin—we’re talking 68,814 votes to Trump’s 67,949. That's less than 1% difference. But then, in the very same breath, voters sent Republicans back to the Board of Commissioners and kept the GOP in control of several key state seats. It's the kind of split-ticket voting that makes political consultants pull their hair out.
The Drama at the Board of Commissioners
The race for the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners was a total nail-biter. Like, "don't blink or you'll miss the lead change" kind of drama. There were three seats open, and the final tally was so tight it felt like a coin flip.
Bill Rivenbark, the Republican incumbent, came out on top with 17.21% of the vote. He’s been around the block, and his message clearly resonated with enough people to keep him in the chair. But then it gets interesting. Stephanie Walker, a Democrat who moved over from the school board, managed to snag the second spot with 16.84%.
The third seat went to Republican Dane Scalise, who finished with 16.83%. If you’re doing the math, Walker and Scalise were separated by just 43 votes out of over 61,000 cast for each. That’s wild. Poor Jonathan Barfield Jr., a longtime Democratic staple in this county, ended up just outside the winner's circle with 16.76%. He was only about 250 votes away from keeping his seat. It really shows that in local races, your neighbor’s vote actually, literally matters.
The School Board Split and the "Culture War"
If the Commissioners' race was about management, the Board of Education race felt a lot more like a vibe check on the local culture wars. People were fired up about this one.
The winners ended up being a mix:
- Judy Justice (D): She’s a familiar face who returned to the board as the top vote-getter.
- Tim Merrick (D): A newcomer who helped the Democrats regain some ground.
- David Perry (R): The lone Republican to break into the top three this cycle.
Even though the Democrats took two out of three seats this time around, the overall board still leans Republican (5-2). It’s a weird tension. You’ve got a board that is still fundamentally conservative but a voting public that just signaled they want a little more balance—or at least some different voices in the room.
Why the "Wilmington Notch" Matters for the State Senate
You can't talk about new hanover county election results without mentioning Michael Lee. His race for State Senate District 7 is basically the most expensive hobby in North Carolina politics. Millions of dollars poured into this single seat because it's one of the few truly competitive spots left in the state.
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Lee, the Republican incumbent, won with about 52% of the vote. He beat David Hill, a local pediatrician, who pulled in about 44%. What’s fascinating is that if you look at the "Wilmington Notch"—that little chunk of the county that gets carved into District 8—voters there went heavily for the Democrat. If that notch had been in Lee's district, the result might have been a total toss-up.
As it stands, Lee keeps his seat, and the GOP keeps its influence in Raleigh. Meanwhile, Deb Butler (D) cruised through her House District 18 race essentially unopposed, which is a stark contrast to the bloodbath happening in the Senate races.
Presidential Patterns and the Big Picture
Looking at the top of the ticket, New Hanover continued its trend of being a "New Democratic" leaning county in presidential years. Harris winning here follows the 2020 trend where the county flipped for Biden.
But look at the Council of State races. For Governor, Josh Stein (D) absolutely crushed it here, taking nearly 60% of the vote. People in New Hanover might be split on many things, but they were pretty unified in their feelings about the Governor's race.
Quick Stats You Might Have Missed:
- Turnout was huge: We’re looking at around 73.5% of registered voters showing up. That's high, even for a presidential year.
- Early voting is king: Over 74% of people in NC voted early or by mail. The days of everyone standing in line on a Tuesday in November are kinda fading away.
- David Rouzer (R): He kept his U.S. House seat (District 7) comfortably, proving that while the city of Wilmington might lean blue, the surrounding district is still very much Republican territory.
What’s Next for New Hanover?
So, what does this actually mean for you? It means we have a divided government. We have a Board of Commissioners that has to balance a conservative majority with a very vocal and nearly equal Democratic constituency.
The biggest thing on the horizon is the school bond discussion. There’s been a lot of talk about a $320.5 million bond to fix up New Hanover High and build new schools in areas like Riverlights. With the election results finalized, the new board has to figure out how to pay for this without making everyone’s property taxes explode.
Actionable Insights for Local Residents:
- Watch the Board Meetings: With such a slim margin of victory for several members, these public meetings are going to be spicy.
- Check Your Tax Assessment: The proposed school bond could result in a 1.75 cent increase per $100 of valuation. Keep an eye on the county’s budget hearings in the spring.
- Engage with the School Board: Since the makeup is still 5-2 Republican, but the recent vote favored Democrats, there is a clear mandate for compromise. If you have kids in the system, now is the time to speak up before the new policies for 2026 are set.
The 2024 cycle proved that New Hanover isn't a "safe" place for either party. It's a battleground, through and through. Every couple of hundred votes changed the course of the county’s future, and that’s a trend that isn't going away anytime soon.