Rep. Mike McIntyre has extended his lead over David Rouzer by five votes, with recounts over in eleven of the twelve counties involved in the Seventh Congressional District race. The final recount in Duplin County will begin Wednesday morning. Elections officials in Johnston County tell WECT there was no change in McIntyre’s vote total in the recount which ended around 7:30pm, but Rouzer lost seven votes from the previous total. Rouzer also lost seven votes in the recount in New Hanover County, while McIntyre picked up two. Rouzer picked up seven votes in Robeson County, where he added one vote to his total and McIntyre lost six. In Hoke County, McIntyre lost one vote and Rouzer had no change. Rouzer picked up three votes each in recounts in Columbus and Sampson counties.
The recount in Lenoir County added five votes to Rouzer’s total, putting his count at 7,629. McIntyre, the incumbent running for re-election, gained eight votes to finish at 4,689. Officials in Bladen County say McIntyre gained two votes there, while Rouzer’s total remained the same.
Officials say McIntyre added one vote in Lenoir County from a provisional ballot, two from curbside voting, and six absentee ballots sent by mail. Rouzer added one from curbside voting and five absentee by mail votes. Rouzer also lost one vote cast in early voting.
Workers in Pender, Brunswick and Cumberland counties finished recounting ballots Monday in the race, but elections workers in Bladen County resumed the process again Tuesday morning after leaving late Monday night.
The recount in Brunswick County saw Rouzer, the challenger, pick up two votes from absentee mail-in ballots. He finished with 28,349 votes in the county to Rep. McIntyre’s 28,302. Elections officials in Pender and Cumberland counties say recounts there did not change any of the vote totals.
Full Article: McIntyre extends lead by five votes in NC7 race, Duplin remains – WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC.