BY STEFANIE BOWMANN, Eastern Shore Post —
About 68% of Northampton County’s registered voters turned out to vote in the 2024 election and cast 6,811 ballots.
In the contest for U.S. President, Northampton voters gave 3,547 votes, or 52.56%, to Democrat Kamala D. Harris and 3,132 votes, or 46.41%, to Republican Donald J. Trump.
A majority of Northampton voters likewise supported the Democratic candidates for Congress: Sen. Timothy M. Kaine received 3,625 votes, or 54.64%, over Republican Hung Cao’s 3,002 votes, or 45.25%, and Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal received 3,341 votes, or 49.83%, over Republican Jen A. Kiggans’ 3,274 votes, or 48.83%.
This was not an election year for Northampton’s board of supervisors or school board, but six towns held elections for mayor, town council, or both.
Cheriton will have a new mayor, former town clerk Stacey A. Sparrow, who defeated incumbent Larry E. LeMond. Sparrow received 154 votes, or 64.17%, to LeMond’s 81 votes, or 33.75%.
There were eight candidates for the six seats on the Cheriton Town Council. The winners were: challenger Terri Lynn Tatem, 164 votes; incumbent B.B. “Barry” Downing Jr., 163 votes; incumbent Robert K. “Bo” Lewis Sr., 153 votes; incumbent Norma P. Spencer, 147 votes; incumbent Jason Bryan Sparrow, 131 votes; and challenger Sheila M. Traina, 93 votes.
The unsuccessful candidates for the Cheriton Town Council were challenger Kandy A. Pena, 63 votes, and incumbent Ivan Pena, 52 votes. Councilman Greg Hardesty did not run for re-election.
In Belle Haven, which is part of both Northampton and Accomack counties, incumbent Mayor George H. Ludlow Jr. was victorious over challenger Lawrence Burr Willcox II.
Northampton voters gave Ludlow 28 votes, or 77.78%, and Willcox four votes, or 11.11%.
The five candidates who ran for and will serve on the five-member Belle Haven Town Council are Cecil Mears Ashby, Larry S. Baxter, Troy A. Brown, Edwin R. Long, and Douglas R. Wehner.
H. Allen Floyd III ran unopposed for Belle Haven’s recorder.
Two incumbent mayors ran unopposed for re-election: Eastville Mayor James C. Sturgis, who received 127 votes, and Nassawadox Mayor Patsy Stith, who received 202 votes.
There were eight candidates for the six seats on the Eastville Town Council. The winners were: incumbent D. Allen Philpot III, 112 votes; challenger Bonny W. Lewis, 96 votes; incumbent Anne G. Sayers, 96 votes; incumbent Eleanor C. Gordon, 86 votes; and challenger Diane L. Crockett, 79 votes.
There was a tie for the sixth Eastville Town Council seat: challenger John D. Crockett and incumbent Barbara M. Thomas each received 54 votes. Challenger Leslie A. Shifflett trailed by one, receiving 53 votes.
Only three candidates ran for the six seats on the Nassawadox Town Council: incumbents Andrea D. Fox, 131 votes; John W. Hallett Sr., 128 votes; and Thomas Wilson Rippon Jr., 124 votes. The winners of the remaining three seats on the Nassawadox Town Council will be determined by write-in votes, of which there were 68.
Cape Charles Mayor Adam Charney was not up for re-election this year, but nine candidates vied for three seats on the Cape Charles Town Council. The three successful candidates were incumbent Andrew J, “Andy” Buchholz, 456 votes; challenger Tara S. Ashworth, 367 votes, and challenger Clayton H. Newman, 279 votes.
The six runners-up were: Edward B. “Ed” Wells, 264 votes; Carol L. Sabo, 252 votes; Mark L. Usry, 221 votes; Jo M. Bronson, 172 votes; Martin W. Beckett, 85 votes; and John B. Rowe, 40 votes.
Exmore Mayor Doug Greer also was not up for re-election this year. Three Exmore Town Council incumbents ran unopposed for re-election: Thomas R. Lewis, 334 votes; Chase E. Sturgis, 304 votes; and John C. “Coby” Metz, 261 votes.
A special election was held to replace one Exmore town councilman, the late T. Bradley Doughty. Claudia C. Andrews ran unopposed for that seat and received 436 votes.
