Pirate's Cove

The State Board of Elections certified
nearly all results from the Nov. 2 election on Tuesday, but withheld
approval of the outcome of two statewide races that are the subject of
protests.

In a five-minute teleconfernce, the board
members signed off on the final results for scores of races, including
President Bush’s victory over John Kerry and wins by Gov. Mike Easley
and Richard Burr for U.S. Senate.

The
board declined to make final the results in the races for agriculture
commissioner and superintendent of public instruction. Also still
pending are certified outcomes of two District Court races and one
legislative race.

Here is the kicker:

Protest hearings on those and other
contests have been set for Nov. 30. The elections board could call for
a new election, either just in Carteret County or statewide, to resolve
the disputed Council of State races. The board also could seek a
re-vote by people in Carteret County whose ballots were lost.

A new election would not be held until late February at the earliest.

Considering that a new statewide revote would cost over $3 million,
let’s go for a re-vote in only the disputed areas, particularly
Carteret County. And, it looks like a re-vote will only include the
positions that are disputed. It will not be a general election.

Cross Posted at the Command Post Election 2004.