RALEIGH, N.C. (WITN) - The State Board of Elections this afternoon certified municipal election results, causing some confusion in the contested Morehead City mayor’s race.

Just yesterday, the Carteret County Board of Elections decided to send the mayor’s election protest to Raleigh for further review.

The board voted 3-2 in favor of finding “substantial evidence” or potential voting irregularities during the board’s evidentiary hearing at the Carteret County Courthouse Monday morning.

Incumbent Mayor Jerry Jones, who lost by one vote against Lee Stiles, filed the election protest.

Carteret County Elections Director Caitlin Sabadish told WITN late this afternoon that the state did not certify the mayor’s race, despite a news release that said every municipal race was certified except

See Full Page