Tarboro votes for clean slate

Voters chose three new faces for the town’s council Tuesday night.

Challengers Taro Knight, Gerrelene Walker and Candis B. Owens defeated incumbents Buck Price, John Jenkins II and Roy Gray on Tuesday evening, during Tarboro’s Ward 1, 5 and 7 town council races.

Anticipation was high, as a majority of the candidates were on hand inside of Edgecombe County’s Administration Building auditorium patiently awaiting results. Each victorious challenger expressed eagerness to bring fresh ideas and immediate change to the town.

Once Owens received word she was voted to the town’s Ward 5 seat, she widely grinned and said, “Let me take this in for a minute.”

Owens defeated three-term councilman Jenkins, tallying up 138 votes and 51.1 percent of the vote. She said the win was a big surprise and that her next task will be to attend the town’s Nov. 10 meeting.

“The town desperately needs a vision,” Owens said. “Win or lose, it’s a great day for the candidates and Tarboro. Everybody’s a winner.”

The Ward 7 race remained close throughout the evening, up until the last batch of precinct votes came in close to 9:45 p.m. Knight heavily exhaled as he learned he defeated Gray with a 140 to 136 vote, taking 50.5 percent.

But the win wasn’t an easy one for Knight to savor, saying that there were not many county and town residents who came to exercise their right to vote.

“Of course, I’m happy with the campaign, but the low turnout shows a high apathy among the people,” Knight said.

Afterwards, Gray and Knight both smiled and exchanged handshakes over the final decision.

“It was really close,” Knight said. “(Me and Gray) are still going to be friends after this.”

Election newcomer Walker took Price’s Ward 1 seat with a total of 117 votes to Price’s total of 64, taking 51.4 percent. Walker couldn’t be reached for comment.

Mayor Donald Morris ran unopposed and received 1,337 total votes. There were 38 mayoral write-in votes.

Challenger Ricky Page also ran uncontested in the Ward 3 race, tallying 158 votes. There only were six write-ins for the seat.