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Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Liveblog: Election Results for the 2026 Midterms

11/03/2026 07:43:00 PM , 0 comments



Election results will be shared here in reverse chronological order. Release of results will be delayed to 8.15pm per the State Board of Elections. A copy of their notice is posted below:

"After meeting in an emergency session, the NCSBE board voted to grant a 45-minute voting extension at the Tabor City Courthouse in Columbus County, and shorter extensions in Lenoir, Wilson, and Hertford counties. Due to the extended voting times at these locations, website posting of statewide results will be delayed by 45 minutes.
EARLY VOTING and ABSENTEE BY MAIL



TIME: 8.21pm
RESULTS:

US Senate Early: Whatley 5,637 (53.3%), Cooper 4,689 (44.4%), Bray 152 (1.4%), Dublin 92 (0.9%) Mail: Whatley 149 (34.3%), Cooper 276 (63.6%), Bray 6 (1.4%), Dublin 3 (0.7%) Cumulative: Whatley 5,786 (52.6%), Cooper 4,965 (45.1%), Bray 158 (1.4%), Dublin 95 (0.9%). Total 11,004

US House NC-11 Early: Balkcom 5,667 (53.7%), Ager 4,737 (44.9%), Groo 144 (1.4%) Mail: Balkcom 158 (36.5%), Ager 272 (62.8%), Groo 3 (0.7%) Cumulative: Balkcom 5,825 (53.0%), Ager 5,009 (45.6%), Groo 147 (1.3%). Total 10,981

NC Senate 50 Early: Corbin 6,539 (62.0%), Downing 4,012 (38.0%) Mail: Corbin 182 (42.2%), Downing 249 (57.8%) Cumulative: Corbin 6,721 (61.2%), Downing 4,261 (38.8%). Total 10,982

NC House 120 Early: Gillespie 6,093 (57.9%), Brown 4,433 (42.1%) Mail: Gillespie 173 (40.0%), Brown 260 (60.0%) Cumulative: Gillespie 6,266 (57.2%), Brown 4,693 (42.8%). Total 10,959

County Commissioner D1 Early: Shearl 5,320 (51.4%), Lunn 5,027 (48.6%) Mail: Shearl 164 (38.5%), Lunn 262 (61.5%) Cumulative: Shearl 5,484 (50.9%), Lunn 5,289 (49.1%). Total 10,773

County Commissioner D2 (vote for 2) Early: Burns 5,161 (27.5%), Castle 5,096 (27.1%), Bell 4,496 (23.9%), Greene 4,036 (21.5%) Mail: Burns 157 (20.3%), Castle 146 (18.9%), Bell 234 (30.2%), Greene 237 (30.6%) Cumulative: Burns 5,318 (27.2%), Castle 5,242 (26.8%), Bell 4,730 (24.2%), Greene 4,273 (21.8%). Total 19,563

Education D02 Early: Shields 4,166 (44.7%), Laseter 2,602 (27.9%), Messer 2,545 (27.3%) Mail: Shields 174 (50.0%), Laseter 126 (36.2%), Messer 48 (13.8%) Cumulative: Shields 4,340 (44.9%), Laseter 2,728 (28.2%), Messer 2,593 (26.8%). Total 9,661

Education D04 Early: Breeden 5,794 (65.9%), Perkins 3,000 (34.1%) Mail: Breeden 189 (58.2%), Perkins 136 (41.8%) Cumulative: Breeden 5,983 (65.6%), Perkins 3,136 (34.4%). Total 9,119

Soil and Water (vote for 2) Early: Bell 5,512 (44.4%), Reynolds 4,441 (35.7%), Zickgraf 2,475 (19.9%) Mail: Bell 202 (41.3%), Reynolds 193 (39.5%), Zickgraf 94 (19.2%) Cumulative: Bell 5,714 (44.2%), Reynolds 4,634 (35.9%), Zickgraf 2,569 (19.9%). Total 12,917

Amendment: Photo ID Early: For 7,493 (71.9%), Against 2,929 (28.1%) Mail: For 263 (60.5%), Against 172 (39.5%) Cumulative: For 7,756 (71.4%), Against 3,101 (28.6%). Total 10,857

Amendment: 3.5% income tax cap Early: For 7,378 (71.2%), Against 2,986 (28.8%) Mail: For 300 (69.8%), Against 130 (30.2%) Cumulative: For 7,678 (71.1%), Against 3,116 (28.9%). Total 10,794

Amendment: Property tax levy limit Early: For 7,277 (70.3%), Against 3,067 (29.7%) Mail: For 313 (72.6%), Against 118 (27.4%) Cumulative: For 7,590 (70.4%), Against 3,185 (29.6%). Total 10,775

Malt beverage Early: For 7,141 (71.4%), Against 2,863 (28.6%) Mail: For 267 (67.1%), Against 131 (32.9%) Cumulative: For 7,408 (71.2%), Against 2,994 (28.8%). Total 10,402

Unfortified wine Early: For 7,109 (71.5%), Against 2,834 (28.5%) Mail: For 276 (69.3%), Against 122 (30.7%) Cumulative: For 7,385 (71.4%), Against 2,956 (28.6%). Total 10,341

Local sales tax Early: For 5,295 (51.6%), Against 4,962 (48.4%) Mail: For 196 (46.4%), Against 226 (53.6%) Cumulative: For 5,491 (51.4%), Against 5,188 (48.6%). Total 10,679

8.34pm 5 precinct is

North Franklin US Senate: Whatley 675 (50.3%), Cooper 630 (47.0%), Bray 21, Dublin 15 NC-11: Balkcom 693 (51.6%), Ager 617 (45.9%), Groo 33 NC Senate 50: Corbin 834 (62.3%), Downing 505 (37.7%) NC House 120: Gillespie 788 (58.7%), Brown 554 (41.3%) Comm D1: Lunn 679 (51.7%), Shearl 634 (48.3%) Comm D2: Bell 631, Burns 612, Castle 570, Greene 554 Educ D02: Shields 626 (50.8%), Laseter 352 (28.6%), Messer 254 (20.6%) Educ D04: Breeden 770 (67.0%), Perkins 380 (33.0%) Soil and Water: Bell 696, Reynolds 619, Zickgraf 293 Photo ID: For 992 (74.8%), Against 334 · Income tax cap: For 938 (71.3%), Against 377 · Levy limit: For 919 (70.4%), Against 386 Malt beverage: For 891 (70.3%), Against 377 · Wine: For 882 (70.1%), Against 376 · Sales tax: For 730 (55.6%), Against 583

Iotla US Senate: Whatley 502 (54.1%), Cooper 396 (42.7%), Bray 17, Dublin 13 NC-11: Balkcom 502 (54.3%), Ager 407 (44.0%), Groo 16 NC Senate 50: Corbin 609 (65.6%), Downing 319 (34.4%) NC House 120: Gillespie 561 (60.8%), Brown 361 (39.2%) Comm D1: Shearl 471 (52.6%), Lunn 424 (47.4%) Comm D2: Burns 463, Castle 452, Bell 417, Greene 336 Educ D02: Shields 429 (51.0%), Laseter 233 (27.7%), Messer 180 (21.4%) Educ D04: Breeden 533 (69.0%), Perkins 239 (31.0%) Soil and Water: Bell 485, Reynolds 405, Zickgraf 219 Photo ID: For 709 (77.7%), Against 204 · Income tax cap: For 698 (77.1%), Against 207 · Levy limit: For 685 (75.8%), Against 219 Malt beverage: For 604 (69.3%), Against 267 · Wine: For 588 (67.9%), Against 278 · Sales tax: For 481 (53.2%), Against 423

Sugarfork US Senate: Whatley 193 (62.5%), Cooper 110 (35.6%), Bray 5, Dublin 1 NC-11: Balkcom 197 (64.0%), Ager 105 (34.1%), Groo 6 NC Senate 50: Corbin 213 (69.8%), Downing 92 (30.2%) NC House 120: Gillespie 197 (64.4%), Brown 109 (35.6%) Comm D1: Shearl 190 (62.3%), Lunn 115 (37.7%) Comm D2: Burns 177, Castle 162, Bell 106, Greene 92 Educ D02: Shields 115 (42.8%), Messer 78 (29.0%), Laseter 76 (28.3%) Educ D04: Breeden 167 (69.9%), Perkins 72 (30.1%) Soil and Water: Bell 152, Reynolds 108, Zickgraf 63 Photo ID: For 237 (77.7%), Against 68 · Income tax cap: For 238 (78.8%), Against 64 · Levy limit: For 231 (77.0%), Against 69 Malt beverage: For 201 (70.8%), Against 83 · Wine: For 203 (71.5%), Against 81 · Sales tax: Against 156 (52.2%), For 143

Smithbridge US Senate: Whatley 1,116 (61.5%), Cooper 644 (35.5%), Bray 37, Dublin 18 NC-11: Balkcom 1,095 (60.4%), Ager 665 (36.7%), Groo 52 NC Senate 50: Corbin 1,253 (69.5%), Downing 550 (30.5%) NC House 120: Gillespie 1,188 (66.0%), Brown 612 (34.0%) Comm D1: Shearl 1,069 (60.5%), Lunn 699 (39.5%) Comm D2: Burns 1,022, Castle 1,007, Bell 661, Greene 539 Educ D02: Shields 732 (45.8%), Messer 469 (29.3%), Laseter 398 (24.9%) Educ D04: Breeden 1,050 (69.0%), Perkins 471 (31.0%) Soil and Water: Bell 868, Reynolds 756, Zickgraf 447 Photo ID: For 1,430 (79.7%), Against 364 · Income tax cap: For 1,386 (77.8%), Against 395 · Levy limit: For 1,370 (77.3%), Against 403 Malt beverage: For 1,202 (70.6%), Against 501 · Wine: For 1,193 (70.1%), Against 509 · Sales tax: Against 954 (54.5%), For 797

Burningtown US Senate: Whatley 334 (66.8%), Cooper 149 (29.8%), Bray 12, Dublin 5 NC-11: Balkcom 334 (66.8%), Ager 157 (31.4%), Groo 9 NC Senate 50: Corbin 372 (74.8%), Downing 125 (25.2%) NC House 120: Gillespie 353 (70.9%), Brown 145 (29.1%) Comm D1: Shearl 289 (59.8%), Lunn 194 (40.2%) Comm D2: Burns 302, Castle 287, Bell 154, Greene 127 Educ D02: Shields 226 (51.4%), Messer 115 (26.1%), Laseter 99 (22.5%) Educ D04: Breeden 269 (66.9%), Perkins 133 (33.1%) Soil and Water: Reynolds 233, Bell 229, Zickgraf 118 Photo ID: For 398 (81.2%), Against 92 · Income tax cap: For 380 (78.4%), Against 105 · Levy limit: For 377 (77.7%), Against 108 Malt beverage: For 343 (73.0%), Against 127 · Wine: For 340 (73.0%), Against 126 · Sales tax: Against 249 (51.4%), For 235

Cumulative for the 5 reported precincts US Senate: Whatley 2,820 (57.6%), Cooper 1,929 (39.4%), Bray 92 (1.9%), Dublin 52 (1.1%) NC-11: Balkcom 2,821 (57.7%), Ager 1,951 (39.9%), Groo 116 (2.4%) NC Senate 50: Corbin 3,281 (67.3%), Downing 1,591 (32.7%) NC House 120: Gillespie 3,087 (63.4%), Brown 1,781 (36.6%) Comm D1: Shearl 2,653 (55.7%), Lunn 2,111 (44.3%) Comm D2: Burns 2,576 (29.7%), Castle 2,478 (28.6%), Bell 1,969 (22.7%), Greene 1,648 (19.0%) Educ D02: Shields 2,128 (48.6%), Laseter 1,158 (26.4%), Messer 1,096 (25.0%) Educ D04: Breeden 2,789 (68.3%), Perkins 1,295 (31.7%) Soil and Water: Bell 2,430 (42.7%), Reynolds 2,121 (37.3%), Zickgraf 1,140 (20.0%) Photo ID: For 3,766 (78.0%), Against 1,062 (22.0%) Income tax cap: For 3,640 (76.0%), Against 1,148 (24.0%) Levy limit: For 3,582 (75.1%), Against 1,185 (24.9%) Malt beverage: For 3,241 (70.5%), Against 1,355 (29.5%) Wine: For 3,206 (70.1%), Against 1,370 (29.9%) Sales tax: For 2,386 (50.2%), Against 2,365 (49.8%), only 21 votes apart


TIME:8.40pm
Cumulative for District Races:

Here are the districtwide results as of 8:39 PM Eastern. The state site last updated at 8:35.

- **US Senate (statewide, 305 of 2,626 precincts):** Cooper (D) 1,618,439 (64.5%), Whatley (R) 848,670 (33.8%), Bray (L) 24,537 (1.0%), Dublin (G) 18,438 (0.7%). Cooper leads by 769,769.
- **US House NC-11 (62 of 290 precincts):** Ager (D) 154,286 (61.2%), Balkcom (R) 94,709 (37.6%), Groo (L) 3,058 (1.2%). Ager leads by 59,577.
- **NC Senate 50 (18 of 97 precincts):** Corbin (R) 32,135 (51.5%), Downing (D) 30,298 (48.5%). Corbin leads by 1,837.
- **NC House 120 (9 of 43 precincts):** Gillespie (R) 12,503 (63.3%), Brown (D) 7,252 (36.7%). Gillespie leads by 5,251.






TIME: 8.59pm
District / statewide races (as of ~8:51–8:54 PM update)

Macon status: Still 5 of 15 precincts (last Macon update 8:29). No change.

US Senate (statewide)

  • Total: Cooper (D) 1,723,505 (62.2%) · Whatley (R) 996,692 (36.0%) · Bray (L) 29,059 (1.0%) · Dublin (G) 21,057 (0.8%)
    Cooper leads by 726,813
  • Early: Cooper 1,574,410 (64.7%) · Whatley 820,012 (33.7%)
  • Mail: Cooper 47,730 (70.0%) · Whatley 18,971 (27.8%)
  • Election Day: Whatley 157,682 (58.9%) · Cooper 101,304 (37.8%)
  • Reporting: 620 of 2,626 precincts (8 counties complete, 47 partial, 45 not reported)
  • Moved from 445 precincts at 8:48; Cooper slipped from 63.0% to 62.2%

US House NC-11 (full district)

  • Total: Ager (D) 166,630 (60.3%) · Balkcom (R) 105,954 (38.4%) · Groo (L) 3,613 (1.3%)
    Ager leads by 60,676
  • Early: Ager 143,998 (63.4%) · Balkcom 80,776 (35.6%)
  • Mail: Ager 3,510 (71.5%) · Balkcom 1,333
  • Election Day: Balkcom 23,845 (54.0%) · Ager 19,122 (43.3%)
  • Reporting: 134 of 290 precincts (McDowell & Graham complete; Cherokee, Clay, Jackson still 0; Buncombe 40/80)
  • Up from 74 precincts; Ager slipped from 60.8% to 60.3%

NC Senate 50 (full district)

  • Total: Corbin (R) 34,874 (52.5%) · Downing (D) 31,513 (47.5%)
    Corbin leads by 3,361
  • Early: Downing 27,406 (50.3%) · Corbin 27,034 (49.7%)
  • Mail: Downing 1,259 (66.8%) · Corbin 626
  • Election Day: Corbin 7,214 (71.7%) · Downing 2,848
  • Reporting: 30 of 97 precincts
    (Graham complete; Transylvania 12/15, Haywood 5/21, Swain 4/5, Macon 5/15; Cherokee, Clay, Jackson still 0)
  • Unchanged since 8:48

NC House 120 (full district)

  • Total: Gillespie (R) 12,503 (63.3%) · Brown (D) 7,252 (36.7%)
    Gillespie leads by 5,251
  • Early: Gillespie 9,817 (61.1%) · Brown 6,255
  • Mail: Brown 299 (57.5%) · Gillespie 221
  • Election Day: Gillespie 2,465 (77.9%) · Brown 698
  • Reporting: 9 of 43 precincts (Graham complete; Macon 5/15; Cherokee & Clay still 0)
  • Unchanged since 8:48



Macon report with early / mail / Election Day / cumulative
(12 of 15 precincts · 15,526 ballots · site last updated ~8:54 PM)
Still out: East Franklin, Highlands, Flats

US Senate

  • Early: Whatley 5,637 (53.3%) · Cooper 4,689 (44.4%) · Bray 152 · Dublin 92
  • Mail: Whatley 149 (34.3%) · Cooper 276 (63.6%) · Bray 6 · Dublin 3
  • Election Day: Whatley 2,941 (66.9%) · Cooper 1,276 (29.0%) · Bray 111 · Dublin 69
  • Cumulative: Whatley 8,727 (56.7%) · Cooper 6,241 (40.5%) · Bray 269 (1.7%) · Dublin 164 (1.1%)

NC-11

  • Early: Balkcom 5,667 (53.7%) · Ager 4,737 (44.9%) · Groo 144
  • Mail: Balkcom 158 (36.5%) · Ager 272 (62.8%) · Groo 3
  • Election Day: Balkcom 2,892 (65.9%) · Ager 1,319 (30.0%) · Groo 180
  • Cumulative: Balkcom 8,717 (56.7%) · Ager 6,328 (41.2%) · Groo 327 (2.1%)

NC Senate 50

  • Early: Corbin 6,539 (62.0%) · Downing 4,012 (38.0%)
  • Mail: Corbin 182 (42.2%) · Downing 249 (57.8%)
  • Election Day: Corbin 3,458 (79.0%) · Downing 919 (21.0%)
  • Cumulative: Corbin 10,179 (66.3%) · Downing 5,180 (33.7%)

NC House 120

  • Early: Gillespie 6,093 (57.9%) · Brown 4,433 (42.1%)
  • Mail: Gillespie 173 (40.0%) · Brown 260 (60.0%)
  • Election Day: Gillespie 3,231 (73.9%) · Brown 1,144 (26.1%)
  • Cumulative: Gillespie 9,497 (61.9%) · Brown 5,837 (38.1%)

Commissioner D1

  • Early: Shearl 5,320 (51.4%) · Lunn 5,027 (48.6%)
  • Mail: Shearl 164 (38.5%) · Lunn 262 (61.5%)
  • Election Day: Shearl 2,742 (64.2%) · Lunn 1,526 (35.8%)
  • Cumulative: Shearl 8,226 (54.7%) · Lunn 6,815 (45.3%)

Commissioner D2 (vote for 2)

  • Early: Burns 5,161 (27.5%) · Castle 5,096 (27.1%) · Bell 4,496 (23.9%) · Greene 4,036 (21.5%)
  • Mail: Burns 157 (20.3%) · Castle 146 (18.9%) · Bell 234 (30.2%) · Greene 237 (30.6%)
  • Election Day: Castle 2,651 (34.1%) · Burns 2,649 (34.1%) · Bell 1,408 (18.1%) · Greene 1,071 (13.8%)
  • Cumulative: Burns 7,967 (29.1%) · Castle 7,893 (28.9%) · Bell 6,138 (22.4%) · Greene 5,344 (19.5%)

Education D02

  • Early: Shields 4,166 (44.7%) · Laseter 2,602 (27.9%) · Messer 2,545 (27.3%)
  • Mail: Shields 174 (50.0%) · Laseter 126 (36.2%) · Messer 48 (13.8%)
  • Election Day: Shields 2,116 (53.9%) · Messer 957 (24.4%) · Laseter 853 (21.7%)
  • Cumulative: Shields 6,456 (47.5%) · Laseter 3,581 (26.4%) · Messer 3,550 (26.1%)

Education D04

  • Early: Breeden 5,794 (65.9%) · Perkins 3,000 (34.1%)
  • Mail: Breeden 189 (58.2%) · Perkins 136 (41.8%)
  • Election Day: Breeden 2,647 (71.5%) · Perkins 1,054 (28.5%)
  • Cumulative: Breeden 8,630 (67.3%) · Perkins 4,190 (32.7%)

Soil and Water (vote for 2)

  • Early: Bell 5,512 (44.4%) · Reynolds 4,441 (35.7%) · Zickgraf 2,475 (19.9%)
  • Mail: Bell 202 (41.3%) · Reynolds 193 (39.5%) · Zickgraf 94 (19.2%)
  • Election Day: Bell 2,034 (40.3%) · Reynolds 1,995 (39.5%) · Zickgraf 1,016 (20.1%)
  • Cumulative: Bell 7,748 (43.1%) · Reynolds 6,629 (36.9%) · Zickgraf 3,585 (20.0%)

Referendums

Photo ID
Early: For 7,493 (71.9%) · Against 2,929
Mail: For 263 (60.5%) · Against 172
Election Day: For 3,744 (86.2%) · Against 600
Cumulative: For 11,500 (75.7%) · Against 3,701 (24.3%)

Income tax cap
Early: For 7,378 (71.2%) · Against 2,986
Mail: For 300 (69.8%) · Against 130
Election Day: For 3,560 (82.5%) · Against 755
Cumulative: For 11,238 (74.4%) · Against 3,871 (25.6%)

Property tax levy limit
Early: For 7,277 (70.3%) · Against 3,067
Mail: For 313 (72.6%) · Against 118
Election Day: For 3,416 (79.8%) · Against 865
Cumulative: For 11,006 (73.1%) · Against 4,050 (26.9%)

Malt beverage
Early: For 7,141 (71.4%) · Against 2,863
Mail: For 267 (67.1%) · Against 131
Election Day: For 2,709 (65.8%) · Against 1,408
Cumulative: For 10,117 (69.7%) · Against 4,402 (30.3%)

Unfortified wine
Early: For 7,109 (71.5%) · Against 2,834
Mail: For 276 (69.3%) · Against 122
Election Day: For 2,706 (66.0%) · Against 1,393
Cumulative: For 10,091 (69.9%) · Against 4,349 (30.1%)

Local sales tax
Early: For 5,295 (51.6%) · Against 4,962 (48.4%)
Mail: For 196 (46.4%) · Against 226 (53.6%)
Election Day: Against 2,257 (53.1%) · For 1,994 (46.9%)
Cumulative: For 7,485 (50.1%) · Against 7,445 (49.9%) — 40-vote margin

District / statewide (brief)

  • US Senate (822/2,626): Cooper 61.2% · Whatley 36.9% (Cooper +720k)
  • NC-11 (157/290): Ager 59.6% · Balkcom 39.0% (Ager +58.6k)
  • NC Senate 50 (43/97): Corbin 53.9% · Downing 46.1% (Corbin +5.6k)
  • NC House 120 (16/43): Gillespie 64.5% · Brown 35.5% (Gillespie +6.5k)

TIME 9.12pm

**All 15 of 15 Macon precincts are now in** (site updated 9:06 PM)  
**16,350 ballots** counted out of 29,887 registered (~54.7% turnout)  
No precincts outstanding. Provisionals not yet counted.

**Big close races:**
- **Local sales tax flipped to Against by 9 votes** (7,862–7,853)
- **Education D02:** Messer took 2nd from Laseter by 5 votes (3,780–3,775)

### US Senate
- Early: Whatley 5,637 (53.3%) · Cooper 4,689 (44.4%) · Bray 152 · Dublin 92
- Mail: Cooper 276 (63.6%) · Whatley 149 (34.3%) · Bray 6 · Dublin 3
- Election Day: Whatley 3,448 (66.2%) · Cooper 1,548 (29.7%) · Bray 135 · Dublin 78
- **Cumulative: Whatley 9,234 (57.0%) · Cooper 6,513 (40.2%) · Bray 293 (1.8%) · Dublin 173 (1.1%)**

### NC-11
- Early: Balkcom 5,667 (53.7%) · Ager 4,737 (44.9%) · Groo 144
- Mail: Ager 272 (62.8%) · Balkcom 158 (36.5%) · Groo 3
- Election Day: Balkcom 3,385 (65.0%) · Ager 1,609 (30.9%) · Groo 210
- **Cumulative: Balkcom 9,210 (56.9%) · Ager 6,618 (40.9%) · Groo 357 (2.2%)**

### NC Senate 50
- Early: Corbin 6,539 (62.0%) · Downing 4,012 (38.0%)
- Mail: Downing 249 (57.8%) · Corbin 182 (42.2%)
- Election Day: Corbin 4,030 (77.7%) · Downing 1,157 (22.3%)
- **Cumulative: Corbin 10,751 (66.5%) · Downing 5,418 (33.5%)**

### NC House 120
- Early: Gillespie 6,093 (57.9%) · Brown 4,433 (42.1%)
- Mail: Brown 260 (60.0%) · Gillespie 173 (40.0%)
- Election Day: Gillespie 3,735 (72.0%) · Brown 1,452 (28.0%)
- **Cumulative: Gillespie 10,001 (61.9%) · Brown 6,145 (38.1%)**

### Commissioner D1
- Early: Shearl 5,320 (51.4%) · Lunn 5,027 (48.6%)
- Mail: Lunn 262 (61.5%) · Shearl 164 (38.5%)
- Election Day: Shearl 3,165 (62.5%) · Lunn 1,901 (37.5%)
- **Cumulative: Shearl 8,649 (54.6%) · Lunn 7,190 (45.4%)**

### Commissioner D2 (vote for 2)
- Early: Burns 5,161 (27.5%) · Castle 5,096 (27.1%) · Bell 4,496 (23.9%) · Greene 4,036 (21.5%)
- Mail: Greene 237 (30.6%) · Bell 234 (30.2%) · Burns 157 · Castle 146
- Election Day: Burns 3,112 (33.8%) · Castle 3,082 (33.5%) · Bell 1,712 (18.6%) · Greene 1,299 (14.1%)
- **Cumulative: Burns 8,430 (29.3%) · Castle 8,324 (28.9%) · Bell 6,442 (22.4%) · Greene 5,572 (19.4%)**

### Education D02
- Early: Shields 4,166 (44.7%) · Laseter 2,602 (27.9%) · Messer 2,545 (27.3%)
- Mail: Shields 174 (50.0%) · Laseter 126 (36.2%) · Messer 48 (13.8%)
- Election Day: Shields 2,403 (51.8%) · Messer 1,187 (25.6%) · Laseter 1,047 (22.6%)
- **Cumulative: Shields 6,743 (47.2%) · Messer 3,780 (26.4%) · Laseter 3,775 (26.4%)**

### Education D04
- Early: Breeden 5,794 (65.9%) · Perkins 3,000 (34.1%)
- Mail: Breeden 189 (58.2%) · Perkins 136 (41.8%)
- Election Day: Breeden 3,114 (71.1%) · Perkins 1,265 (28.9%)
- **Cumulative: Breeden 9,097 (67.4%) · Perkins 4,401 (32.6%)**

### Soil and Water (vote for 2)
- Early: Bell 5,512 (44.4%) · Reynolds 4,441 (35.7%) · Zickgraf 2,475 (19.9%)
- Mail: Bell 202 (41.3%) · Reynolds 193 (39.5%) · Zickgraf 94 (19.2%)
- Election Day: Bell 2,478 (40.9%) · Reynolds 2,310 (38.1%) · Zickgraf 1,268 (20.9%)
- **Cumulative: Bell 8,192 (43.2%) · Reynolds 6,944 (36.6%) · Zickgraf 3,837 (20.2%)**

### Referendums
**Photo ID**  
Early: For 7,493 (71.9%) · Against 2,929  
Mail: For 263 (60.5%) · Against 172  
Election Day: For 4,417 (85.7%) · Against 738  
**Cumulative: For 12,173 (76.0%) · Against 3,839 (24.0%)**

**Income tax cap**  
Early: For 7,378 (71.2%) · Against 2,986  
Mail: For 300 (69.8%) · Against 130  
Election Day: For 4,200 (82.2%) · Against 909  
**Cumulative: For 11,878 (74.7%) · Against 4,025 (25.3%)**

**Property tax levy limit**  
Early: For 7,277 (70.3%) · Against 3,067  
Mail: For 313 (72.6%) · Against 118  
Election Day: For 4,042 (79.6%) · Against 1,036  
**Cumulative: For 11,632 (73.4%) · Against 4,221 (26.6%)**

**Malt beverage**  
Early: For 7,141 (71.4%) · Against 2,863  
Mail: For 267 (67.1%) · Against 131  
Election Day: For 3,303 (67.5%) · Against 1,589  
**Cumulative: For 10,711 (70.0%) · Against 4,583 (30.0%)**

**Unfortified wine**  
Early: For 7,109 (71.5%) · Against 2,834  
Mail: For 276 (69.3%) · Against 122  
Election Day: For 3,287 (67.6%) · Against 1,577  
**Cumulative: For 10,672 (70.2%) · Against 4,533 (29.8%)**

**Local sales tax**  
Early: For 5,295 (51.6%) · Against 4,962 (48.4%)  
Mail: Against 226 (53.6%) · For 196 (46.4%)  
Election Day: Against 2,674 (53.1%) · For 2,362 (46.9%)  
**Cumulative: Against 7,862 (50.03%) · For 7,853 (49.97%) — Against by 9**

### District / statewide
- **US Senate** (1,089/2,626): Cooper 1,886,784 (60.2%) · Whatley 1,185,327 (37.8%) — Cooper +701,457
- **NC-11** (179/290): Ager 171,976 (59.0%) · Balkcom 115,235 (39.6%) — Ager +56,741
- **NC Senate 50** (64/97): Corbin 42,562 (55.3%) · Downing 34,382 (44.7%) — Corbin +8,180
- **NC House 120** (28/43): Gillespie 16,664 (65.5%) · Brown 8,777 (34.5%) — Gillespie +7,887

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News and Weather Briefing for Tuesday, November 03, 2026

11/03/2026 04:03:00 AM , 0 comments

ANNOUNCEMENTS


• Back to School Safety Tips for the 2026-2027 School Year [Macon Media]

• Town of Franklin Asks Residents to Observe Voluntary Water Restrictions [Macon Media]

• Nine N.C. counties in exceptional drought as statewide drought continues [Macon Media]

WEATHER OUTLOOK

1. Unseasonably warm and humid conditions are expected for the remainder of the week, with shower and thunderstorm chances increasing Wednesday and remaining through Friday.

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SPONSORSHIPS
WEATHER SPONSOR

The weather is being sponsored by the Caleb for NC Campaign. Caleb is running for the NC House in District 120. Read more about his campaign at https://calebbrownfornc120.com. DAY SPONSOR

This space available



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FORECAST


(since this is a quick forecast intended to cover the whole county, bear in mind that higher elevations may experience cooler temperatures than this and the lower elevations may experience higher temperatures than those in the forecast)

.TODAY....Partly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Areas of dense fog in the morning with visibility one quarter mile or less at times. Highs in the mid 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

.TONIGHT....Mostly cloudy. Areas of dense fog after midnight with visibility one quarter mile or less at times. Lows in the mid 50s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

.WEDNESDAY....Cloudy. Areas of dense fog in the morning. A chance of rain in the morning, then showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph in the morning. Chance of rain 90 percent.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT....Rain with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then rain likely after midnight. Near steady temperatures around 60. South winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

.THURSDAY....Partly sunny with a 50 percent chance of rain. Highs in the upper 60s.

.THURSDAY NIGHT....Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain. Lows in the lower 50s.



HAZARDOUS WEATHER

Strong and gusty winds due to mountain waves are possible through the day on Wednesday and Wednesday night for the mountains and nearby foothills.

SPACE WEATHER FORECAST

Hazardous space weather is not in the current forecast. [LINK] https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=03&month=11&year=2026


POLLEN REPORT

Pollen levels are expected to be in the low-medium range (2.6 out of 12) today with Ragweed and Chenopods being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (2.3 out of 12.0)

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MACON CALENDAR


(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)
Preparing for Winter Weather Emergencies

Join us at the Crawford Senior Center located at 108 Wayah Street, at 10 a.m. on November 24, 2026, to learn how to prepare for winter weather emergencies. Call 828-349-2058 ext. 0 for more information.
The many ways you can connect to Mountain Findings to arrange donation pick-ups, drop-off location, shopping hours, volunteering, and to learn more on our community grants programs and graduating seniors scholarships.
Facebook: @MountainFindings
Phone: 828-526-9929
Email: MountainFindings1@gmail.com
Webpage: MountainFindings.org
Location: 452 Spruce St, Highlands, NC

LIVE SATURDAY MIDDAY MUSIC CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER 2026

11a to 1p at Friends of the Greenway, Inc.
573 E Main St, Franklin, NC 28734
contact: frog28734@gmail.com; 828-369-8488

TBA

To find out more about the Greenway and our organization, our website is: littletennessee.org.

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WEATHER ALMANAC


Record Weather Events for this date in Macon County (1872-2025)

Highest Temperature 82°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2003
Lowest Temperature 7°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1954
Greatest Rainfall 3.78 inches at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1948
Greatest Snowfall 0.5 inches in Highlands in 1999

Record weather events for November in Macon County

Highest Temperature 83°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station on Nov 4, 2003
Lowest Temperature -3°F in Highlands on Nov 25, 1950
Greatest Rainfall 4.69 inches in Highlands on Nov 29, 1914
Greatest Snowfall 6.0 inches in Highlands on Nov 28, 1922

Weather Extremes for North Carolina for the month of November

Highest Temperature 89°F in Asheboro, Randolph County on Nov 7, 2024
Lowest Temperature -12°F in Grandfather Mountain, Avery County on Nov 15, 1969
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 9.70 in Lake Toxaway, Transylvania County on Nov 19, 2003
Greatest Snowfall 13.0 inches in Mount Mitchell, Yancey County on Nov 1, 2014


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WNC News


• Press Release: Treasured Finds Get New Life: Mountain Findings Volunteers Tour Satolah Creek Farm [The Franklin Press]
What's motivating western North Carolina voters?| WLOS-TV (Asheville), NC



• Early Voting Totals by Party Registration in Macon County [The Franklin Press]
• North Carolina early voting tops 2.8 million ballots cast ahead of Election Day [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• Biltmore raises Christmas tree in Banquet Hall: Watch [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Grants awarded for classroom equipment [The Franklin Press]
• North Carolina joins ‘overcharging’ lawsuit against Dollar General [Macon Sense]
• COVID cases rise in Western North Carolina [ Smoky Mountain News ]
• (Jackson) County to hold first hearing on data centers [ The Mountaineer ]

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NC News


NC political campaigns make final push before Election Day | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)


• Could North Carolina help flip Congress? 4 races to watch on Election Day [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• Is there a blue wave? NC GOP may not get the 11 House seats once anticipated [Raleigh News & Observer]
• Purple Primer: Your Guide to the 2026 Elections in North Carolina [NC Local]

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National News


ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - Nov. 2, 2026 | ABC News




NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas Full Episode - Nov. 2 | NBC News




Washington Today (11/2/26): 2026 Midterms: Trump’s Final Election Day Push & Senate Shakeup | C-SPAN




PBS News Hour full episode, Nov. 2, 2026 | PBS NewsHour



• Forecasts of midterm blue wave put Trump’s legacy on line [The Hill]
• Supreme Court rejects Trump administration push to set aside thousands of California ballots [AP News ]
• Oil rises after report of US strike on Iran's Qeshm Island Yahoo News]

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Learjet Crashes in Florida


A Learjet 60 Crashed in Palm beach County, Florida on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Here are some articles and video describing what happened. Some of the articles and video may contain information and audio some readers find distressing.

See Monday's special section on the crash. [LINK]

• A Learjet 60, N722BD, impacted the ground in Greenacres, Florida [Aviation Safety Network]

NTSB officials give an update on deadly Florida jet crash | ABC News



Understanding the Learjet Crash in Palm Beach | Captain Steeeve




The Storm That Brought Down A Jet? | Ryan Hall Xtra




N722BD Lear 60 Loss of Control Inflight 1 Nov 2026 | blancolirio



• Texas couples, 2 young children, caregiver and pilots killed in Florida Learjet crash [CNN]

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Financial News


Market Close: Stocks Mixed, Apple Earnings Out, Jobs Data This Week • 11/2/26 | CNBC Television



Asian Stocks Fall Ahead of US Midterms | The Asia Trade 11/03/2026 | Bloomberg Television


• Musk is throttling Grok because its cost is 'unsustainably high' [Yahoo Finance]
• Palantir reports booming U.S. commercial revenue growth, topping government for first time [CNBC]

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World News


Shop freezers in seven European countries hit by cyber-attack | BBC News


What the Ship (Ep 150): Global Shipbuilding Boom, Dock Strike & Chokepoint Attacks | What's Going on With Shipping?



CPJ: 'Attacks on journalists almost always precede attacks on other rights to broader population' | FRANCE 24 English


• Wave of cyber breaches exposes growing risks to S. Korea's digital economy [Yonhap News Agency]
• Live Updates: Netanyahu calls for coalition of anti-terror parties, Oct. 7 survivors warn against unity gov't [Jerusalem Post]
• European supermarkets targeted in second reported cyberattack [France 24]
• Iran war live: US carries out ‘defensive’ strikes in Strait of Hormuz [Al Jazeera]
• Russia bombs aid center and shelter in southern Ukraine, killing 26, officials say[AP News]

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Iran War News


Israel's political puzzle and what it could mean | DW News


• The Israel Netanyahu Made: Why Bibi’s National Security Vision Will Endure [Foreign Affairs]
• US warns allies to prepare for possible Iran strikes, retaliation after elections, AP sources say [AP News]
• Iran Update, October 28, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Iran war live: Trump says he approved Vance outreach over medical supplies [AL Jazeera]
• Live Updates: Netanyahu's Likud maintains lead with 91% of votes in as counting of double envelopes continues [Jerusalem Post]

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Russo-Ukraine War


Russia’s Oil Nightmare Just Returned IN FORCE | Paul Warburg


Ukraine under fire ahead of planned Abu Dhabi talks | World News Tonight | TVP World


• Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine by attacking its energy grid, UN-backed inquiry says [AP News]
• Putin’s Strategy Is Working: Trump Could Salvage the Kremlin’s Objectives in Ukraine [Foreign Affairs]
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 28, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russia’s alleged sabotage campaign in Europe raises fears of escalation [Al Jazeera]
• Ukraine and Russia begin Oleshky ceasefire for aid mission [DW News]

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Science News


How Did We Miss This Massive Object in Our Backyard? | Anton Petrov



• Mars’ moon Phobos is destined to become a ring [Astronomy Magazine]
• TWiV 1370: Clinical Update with Dr. Daniel Griffin [Microbe TV]
• TWiV 1371: How to Bat Away Marburg Virus [Microbe TV]
• New Research Resolves the Mystery Behind Van Gogh's The Starry Night [Universe Today]
• Even moderate drinking linked to cancer and early death, major study finds [ScienceDaily]
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 30 – November 8 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]

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Technology News



Americans Don't Want AI Data Centers Anymore. Here's Why. | Yahoo Finance



Apple and Meta's AI gamble: The end of data centres? | AI Decoded | BBC News



Most AI News Is Useless for Developers. These 3 Stories Aren’t. | Educative


• Flesh-eating screwworms spread to third state and are attacking pets [Ars Technica]
• NASA’s Begging the Commercial Space Industry to Save the Doomed Hubble Telescope [Gizmodo]
• Ex-Meta Researcher Torrented Pirated Books Dataset, Deleted It ‘Due to All This Litigation’ [Torrent Freaks]

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Interesting Videos


Yugoslavia 1991: How the Wars Began | Kings and Generals



Charlie Brown and the Quiet Sadness of Growing Up | DoctorW42



Why Russia Thinks It Can Attack Europe and WIN | RealLifeLore



Nuclear War Myths: Would Civilization Really End? | Isaac Arthur



Why a Russia vs Europe Nuclear War would not be so one-sided | Fraser Cain



New York City Halloween Parade 2026 🎃 53rd Annual Village Halloween Parade NYC | The NYC Walking Show



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CRYPTO & AI NEWS


Bitcoin: The Beauty of Mathematics (Part 74) | Benjamin Cowen


.Why AI Insiders Are Cashing Out | Coin Bureau


• Bitcoin ETF Investors Head for the Exits After Record Binance Hack [Decrypt]
• Binance net outflows surge to $5.8B as withdrawals resume after record hack [Coin Telegraph]
• This Week in Crypto Law (November 1, 2026) [Bitcoin.com]

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Flock Cameras and Constitutional Rights


Flock Cameras Are Not Even the Worst Part of the System | TREX LABS



• Brickbat: Unlicensed Search [Reason Magazine]
• Police say Flock cameras help solve crimes, but critics call them an invasion of privacy [PBS News]

• Schmidt v. Norfolk [ACLU]

• Chatrie v. United States [SCOTUSblog]

• Under Surveillance: Constitutional Concerns Surrounding Flock Cameras [North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology]

• Research Report on Automatic License Plate Readers: Legal Status and Policy Recommendations for Law Enforcement Use [Brennan Cebnter for Justice]

This Flock Camera Leak is like Netflix For Stalkers | Benn Jordan and 404 Media



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Public Records Request for Macon County Flock Safety Cameras

As an independent citizen journalist covering local government in Macon County for over 16 years, I have submitted a public records request to the Macon County Sheriff’s Office for documents related to the Flock Safety automated license plate reader system. This request seeks contracts, board approvals, usage policies, camera locations, performance data, and related correspondence to promote full transparency and public accountability in how this surveillance technology is funded, deployed, and operated with taxpayer resources. By making these records available, we can separate facts from myths, address community concerns about privacy and effectiveness, and ensure informed civic dialogue about tools that impact public safety and individual rights in our rural mountain community.

from:Bobby Coggins robertcogginsjr@gmail.com
to:
cc:
date:Jul 11, 2026, 2:13 AM
subject:Public Records Request – Flock Safety Cameras / ALPR / License Plate Reader Contract & Related Documents – Macon County Sheriff’s Office
mailed-by:gmail.com

Sheriff’s Office Public Records Custodian,

Pursuant to the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. Chapter 132), I request the following records related to Flock Safety (or any automated license plate reader/ALPR system):

  1. All contracts, agreements, amendments, proposals, invoices, payment records, and correspondence between Macon County Sheriff’s Office (or County) and Flock Safety (or Flock Group, Inc.), including any subscription, installation, maintenance, or data access terms.
  2. Board of Commissioners agendas, minutes, resolutions, motions, or approvals authorizing the purchase, funding, or use of Flock cameras (including budget line items from FY 2023–2024 onward).
  3. Policies, procedures, manuals, training materials, or guidelines for use of the Flock system by Sheriff’s Office personnel (including access controls, data retention, audit logs, and privacy protections).
  4. Any usage statistics, reports, or summaries on camera performance, alerts generated, cases assisted, or data shared (redacted as necessary for law enforcement sensitivity).
  5. Location list or map of all deployed Flock cameras in Macon County.
  6. Any privacy impact assessments, legal opinions, or correspondence regarding compliance with NC law or data sharing.

Preferred format: Electronic copies (PDF/email) where possible. I am willing to pay reasonable costs; please notify me in advance if fees will exceed $50.

Please provide these records as soon as practicable. If any portion is denied, please provide a written explanation with the specific legal basis and contact information for appeal.

Thank you for your assistance. I can be reached at robertciogginsjr@gmail.com.

Sincerely, Bobby Coggins, Publisher Macon Media [robertciogginsjr@gmail.com]

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Published at 6:00am on Tuesday, November 03, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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