Recount: Holman, Lane in; Reid out

Hertford councilor loses by one vote

A vote recount in Hertford has confirmed the results of last Tuesday’s Town Council election in Hertford.

The recount, conducted Monday by the Perquimans County Board of Elections, resulted in the same vote totals for the five candidates in the race: 194 for Ed Lane; 138 for Lillian Anne Holman; 137 for Horace Reid; 74 for Quentin Jackson; and 39 for Lloyd Hodges.

Lane and Holman, two political newcomers, won the two open seats on Hertford’s town council. They will take office on Dec. 1.

Reid, an incumbent town councilor who had requested the recount, indicated he was satisfied with the results.

“Based on the recount, I found there were no discrepancies, and the totals from the electronic machines were the same as earlier stated, with Holman winning by one vote,” Reid said afterward.

Reid, who had served on Hertford Town Council since 1997 and who is the council’s vice mayor, congratulated the winners.

“You always feel badly when you lose, but if that’s what the people want, that’s what they’ll receive,” he said. “I wish the two candidates the best of luck.”

The recount showed that two absentee votes for Holman tipped the scales in her favor.

Reid said Holman had benefited from one-stop voting. She collected 35 early votes to Reid’s 29. The absentee votes pushed her pre-election day lead to eight votes.

Reid had more votes on election day — 108 to Holman’s 101 — but it wasn’t enough to make up the 8-vote margin he needed.

Eula Mae Forbes, director of the local elections board, said the elections board was only required to recount the votes for Holman and Reid.

The town of Hertford will pay the cost of the recount, Forbes said.