One-Stop votes in Pamlico favor McCain

BAYBORO - With nearly half of Pamlico County's 9,756 registered voters casting ballots in early one-top voting, Republican presidential candidate John McCain held an early 9 percent edge over Democrat Barack Obama on Tuesday night.

McCain had 2,534 early votes to 2,103 for Obama.

A total of 4,769 Pamlico County voters cast one-stop ballots, 48.88 percent of the registered voters.

In the North Carolina governor's race, New Bern Democrat Beverly Perdue had a lead of more than 1,100 votes, or 61 percent, over Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory.

Two incumbent Pamlico County commissioners - Republican Christine Mele and Democrat Doug Brinson had narrow early leads.

Mele, the District 2 incumbent, had 51 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Phillip Willis, 706 to 657.

Brinson, the commissioners' chairman, led Arapahoe Town Commissioner Kenny Heath by just 27 votes, from 1,063 early ballots.

The county is heavily registered Democrat and that trend followed in the early straight-party voting - with Democrats holding a 61 percent to 39 percent advantage among 2,248 straight-party voters.

Incumbents jumped to early leads for state and U.S. House and Senate seats.

New Bern Democrat Alice Underhill had an 821-vote lead on challenger Norman Sanderson of Minnesott Beach in the State House District 3 race. Underhill had 58 percent of the early votes.

In the state Senate District 2 race, Pamlico early voters gave the edge to incumbent Jean Preston, with 55 percent, or 2,480 votes, over challenger Greg Muse of New Bern.

Republican U.S. Rep. Walter Jones had 59 percent of the ballots against Democrat Craig Weber, a lead of 860 votes.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole led challenger Kay Hagan by 4 percent, 2,345 to 2,178.

In the lieutenant governor race, Democrat Walter Dalton had a 230-vote lead on Republican Robert Pittenger.