LUMBERTON — It appears the drawing of a high card to determine who will serve on Proctorville’s Town Council will not be necessary, but it may take a recount to settle the race for mayor of Maxton.

The Robeson County Board of Elections had considered exercising the high-card option, which is permitted by state law, during its regularly scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday because there was a tie for one of the three seats up for election during the county’s Nov. 5 municipal election. One of the write-in candidates has turned down the seat he won.

“My schedule does not allow me to serve,” Shawn Hunt said.

Hunt received 10 write-in votes on Nov. 5. Write-in candidate Alphonso McRae got 14, and incumbent Virginia Ivey and write-in candidate Allen Clybourn each received nine, setting up the high-card draw scenario.

Hunt said Monday his professional and personal schedule would not allow him to dedicate enough time to serve Proctorville residents as effectively as they deserve. It was not an office he sought.

“I found out about it Saturday morning when a neighbor told me,” Hunt said.

He told the county Board of Elections on Monday morning that he would not accept the council seat.

McRae said Monday he will serve on the council, even though he did not seek election.

People had asked him if he would serve, but by that time the filing period had passed, he said.

“I’m right here in town, and I’m retired, so I said I might consider it if elected,” McRae said.

Ivey, a 62-year-old lifelong Proctorville resident, will accept the seat for which she sought re-election.

Proctorville is served by a council and mayor who meet the first Monday of each month in Town Hall, which is located across the street from the fire department, Ivey said. She has served on the council for seven years, after serving as town clerk for 19 years. She joined the council to serve the remainder of the late Jim McKnight’s two-year term.

McKnight died on Jan. 2, 2013, at the age of 67.

The Nov. 5 election was the first for a four-year council term, Ivey said. The town went to the state to change the term from two to four years because it was costing so much money to hold elections every two years.

Clybourn could not be reached for comment Monday.

“Sometimes they cannot or do not want to serve. That is their right,” interim Robeson County Board of Elections Director Tina Bledsoe said Monday.

The town’s mayoral race was won by write-in candidate Michael Sealy, who received 10 votes. He defeated write-in candidates, Milton Allen, 7 votes; McRae, 2; and Ivey, 1.

The new town officers are expected to be sworn in in December.

A canvass of election results conducted Friday by the county Elections Board revealed that the margin of victory in Maxton’s mayoral race is two votes. Paul Davis received 237 votes to 235 for Victor Womack Sr.

The race is considered a multi-county contest because Maxton lies within Robeson and Scotland counties. Therefore, if either candidate wants a vote recount he must ask the N.C. State Board of Elections. The deadline to do so is noon Tuesday.

“We have not received any recount requests at this time,” Patrick Gannon, state Elections Board spokesman, said Monday afternoon.

T.C. Hunter

Managing editor

Reach T.C. Hunter via email at [email protected] or by calling 910-816-1974.