Rep. Marilyn Avila seeks recount, Evans hasn’t decided yet in close NC legislative races
Trailing by just 390 votes in the latest count, state Rep. Marilyn Avila of Raleigh said Tuesday that she has called for a recount.
Avila, a five-term incumbent Republican, could lose her seat to Democrat Joe John, a former N.C. Court of Appeals judge. Avila joins Gov. Pat McCrory and Republican state auditor candidate Chuck Stuber in seeking recounts.
As of Tuesday, John’s lead in the vote tally stands at 0.83 percent of the total ballots cast. Under state law, Avila is entitled to a recount if the margin is less than 1 percent once all votes are counted.
The Wake County Board of Elections doesn’t plan to certify its election results until at least next week, at which time it would grant Avila’s recount request if the margin hasn’t changed.
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One other Wake County legislative race could result in a recount. In western Wake, Democrat Susan Evans trails Republican Sen. Tamara Barringer by about 0.85 percent of the vote. If that margin holds, Evans could seek a recount.
Her campaign manager, Dustin Ingalls, said Tuesday evening that Evans hasn’t decided yet.
“Unlike McCrory, we’re waiting until the official canvass is finalized and the votes certified,” Ingalls said in an email.
Outside the Triangle, another N.C. House race is already ready for a recount. Election boards in Pitt and Wilson counties certified their results this week, prompting Democratic House candidate Charlie Pat Farris to seek a recount, according to The Wilson Times.
Farris is trailing incumbent Republican Rep. Susan Martin by just 163 votes, or 0.38 percent of votes cast – well within the 1 percent margin for a recount.
“I owe the recount for the people who worked for me, who voted for me and contributed to the campaign,” Farris told the Times. “I owe them that much.”
A third House race in western North Carolina also appears to be within the recount margin, but two counties in the district haven’t finalized results yet. Democratic Rep. Joe Sam Queen trails Republican challenger Mike Clampitt by 0.85 percent of votes cast.
In addition to the governor and auditor elections, two other Council of State races remained close as more votes are counted – attorney general and insurance commissioner. Current tallies show those races well outside the margin for a recount, but the second-place candidates haven’t formally conceded to their opponents yet.
This story was originally published November 22, 2016 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Rep. Marilyn Avila seeks recount, Evans hasn’t decided yet in close NC legislative races."