The 2023 municipal election in the town of Pink Hill, North Carolina, took place last night, on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. While the mayoral race proceeded smoothly, the commissioners race is too close to call, with only two votes separating the two candidates.

“I’m thankful for all of the voters in Pink Hill,” said Horne. “We had one of the biggest turnouts that I can remember.”

The mayoral race is the culmination of two years of chaos and dysfunction following the untimely demise of Mayor Carol Sykes. Incumbent Mayor Yvonne Deatherage lost to Mike Horne in the race for Pink Hill Mayor. Horne should be sworn in at the December 12th meeting.

“I congratulate Mike Horne and hope he moves to Pink Hill to serve and live among the people he represents,” said Deatherage in a statement posted to her website. “I understand voters want peace, but let's be clear. Peace comes with a price,” said Deatherage. “The town surrendered to the chaos tonight.”

In the closely contested commissioner race, the unofficial election night results show Michael Whitfield with 84 votes and Joshua Eing with 82 votes, making it an extremely tight competition. Mona Jones received 2 votes in the race. These results emphasize the significance of every vote in local elections.

Whitfield is taking a cautious approach and waiting for the official results from the canvass.

“With Election Day behind us, now is the time to come together and work for the betterment of Pink Hill and its residents,” said Whitfield. “I look forward to serving with Mayor-Elect Horne and Commissioners Murphy and Fantini. This election created a lot of excitement and interest both inside and outside of town. My hope is that the tremendous turnout of over 50% was not a blip but a sign of people’s ongoing desire to be engaged in local politics.”

With the results being unofficial, the process of canvassing, as outlined in North Carolina General Statute 163-182.7, will be the next crucial step to determine the final outcome of this tight race. Canvassing is a standard procedure designed to ensure the accuracy of the vote count and resolve any discrepancies or challenges that may arise.

According to NC General Statute 163-182.7, the canvass will involve a thorough review of all election materials, including the ballots and voting machine tapes. This meticulous examination will be conducted by the local board of elections, with the aim of certifying the results and resolving any issues. During this process, any provisional ballots or discrepancies will be addressed, which could potentially impact the outcome of the commissioner race.