U.S. Senate
Michael Whatley
62.5%14,371
Roy Cooper
34.9%8,035
Shannon Bray
1.6%358
Michael Dublin
1.0%229
Statewide: Roy Cooper wins. Called.
Rutherford County, North Carolina
2026 election results. Michael Whatley (R) got 63% of the U.S. Senate vote in Rutherford County. The margin is 19.9 points more Democratic than the 2024 presidential vote here. Below are also 22 local contests from the state's own results.
2026 results in Rutherford County
U.S. House: North Carolina 14th District
Tim Moore
67.2%15,429
LaKesha Womack
32.8%7,526
Whole district: LaKesha Womack wins. Called.
The leader in Rutherford County is only who has the most votes counted here. Races are won statewide or district-wide, and only the race pages report calls. Last vote update here Nov 12, 2:26 PM.
22 local contests in Rutherford County
County offices, city and town races, school boards and districts on Rutherford County's ballots, from North Carolina's official results file. Names are as the state prints them. "Ahead" describes the current count; it isn't a race call, and we don't call measures.
County offices
Rutherford County Board of Commissioners District 01
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Hardin R | 16,935 | 100.0% |
Allen Hardin is unopposed.
Rutherford County Board of Commissioners District 04
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Yelton R | 16,998 | 100.0% |
Adam Yelton is unopposed.
Rutherford County Board of Commissioners District 05
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Scott J. Haynes R | 15,330 | 67.5% |
| Phil Burney D | 7,371 | 32.5% |
Scott J. Haynes ahead in Rutherford County.
Rutherford County Clerk of Superior Court
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steve H. Owens R | 17,268 | 100.0% |
Steve H. Owens is unopposed.
Rutherford County Sheriff
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Ellenburg R | 17,653 | 100.0% |
Aaron Ellenburg is unopposed.
Cities & towns
Town of Bostic Mayor
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mitch Harrill | 114 | 89.1% |
| Write-In | 14 | 10.9% |
Mitch Harrill is unopposed. Bostic's page.
Town of Bostic Commissioner 2 seats
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Hollifield | 101 | 48.1% |
| Billy Lattimore | 92 | 43.8% |
| Write-In | 17 | 8.1% |
Mike Hollifield and Billy Lattimore are unopposed. Bostic's page.
Chimney Rock Village Councilman 2 seats
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Sottile | 43 | 39.8% |
| W. Bennett Phillips | 36 | 33.3% |
| Richard Duffy | 26 | 24.1% |
| Write-In | 3 | 2.8% |
Nicholas Sottile and W. Bennett Phillips ahead in Rutherford County.
Town of Ellenboro Aldermen 3 seats
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Perry Whisnant | 87 | 19.2% |
| Lee Allen | 81 | 17.9% |
| Rachel Lawson | 81 | 17.9% |
| Pamela Padgett | 68 | 15.0% |
| Warren C. Smith | 65 | 14.4% |
| Allan Black | 61 | 13.5% |
| Write-In | 9 | 2.0% |
Perry Whisnant, Lee Allen and Rachel Lawson ahead in Rutherford County. Ellenboro's page.
Town of Forest City Mayor
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Holland | 1,389 | 69.8% |
| Kimberly McCurry | 593 | 29.8% |
| Write-In | 8 | 0.4% |
Steve Holland ahead in Rutherford County. Forest City's page.
Town of Forest City Commissioner 2 seats
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| John Mark Bennett | 971 | 32.9% |
| Carl Ramsey | 805 | 27.3% |
| Marc Duncan | 591 | 20.0% |
| Anastasia Haulk | 569 | 19.3% |
| Write-In | 17 | 0.6% |
John Mark Bennett and Carl Ramsey ahead in Rutherford County. Forest City's page.
Town of Lake Lure Mayor
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Carol Pritchett | 434 | 60.2% |
| Kathy Tanner | 253 | 35.1% |
| John Kozma | 24 | 3.3% |
| Write-In | 10 | 1.4% |
Carol Pritchett ahead in Rutherford County. Lake Lure's page.
Town of Lake Lure Commissioner 2 seats
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Proctor | 431 | 32.3% |
| Dave Lusk | 384 | 28.7% |
| Friedrich Jaeger-Faber | 254 | 19.0% |
| Richard Sayles | 253 | 18.9% |
| Write-In | 14 | 1.0% |
Jim Proctor and Dave Lusk ahead in Rutherford County. Lake Lure's page.
Town of Rutherfordton Mayor
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Jimmy G. Dancy | 980 | 80.0% |
| Clark Poole | 211 | 17.2% |
| Write-In | 34 | 2.8% |
Jimmy G. Dancy ahead in Rutherford County. Rutherfordton's page.
Town of Rutherfordton Councilman 2 seats
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ricky Gilbert | 586 | 24.1% |
| Jeff Wells | 492 | 20.2% |
| Christy Freeman Houser | 429 | 17.6% |
| Doris Crute | 357 | 14.7% |
| Bobby Ray Miller, Jr. | 320 | 13.1% |
| Stanley Lennon Clements | 229 | 9.4% |
| Write-In | 23 | 0.9% |
Ricky Gilbert and Jeff Wells ahead in Rutherford County. Rutherfordton's page.
Town of Spindale Mayor
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Charlie Brooks | 742 | 62.7% |
| Jonathan M. Bland | 392 | 33.1% |
| Wyvern Mason | 44 | 3.7% |
| Write-In | 6 | 0.5% |
Charlie Brooks ahead in Rutherford County. Spindale's page.
Town of Spindale Commissioner 2 seats
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ricky Ledbetter | 513 | 29.2% |
| Rosaleen M. Francis | 491 | 28.0% |
| Todd Hines | 381 | 21.7% |
| Andrew Kegley | 358 | 20.4% |
| Write-In | 12 | 0.7% |
Ricky Ledbetter and Rosaleen M. Francis ahead in Rutherford County. Spindale's page.
Town of Spindale Commissioner (Unexpired)
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nancy B. Walker | 581 | 56.3% |
| Paige Hines | 299 | 29.0% |
| Jonah Creech | 134 | 13.0% |
| Write-In | 18 | 1.7% |
Nancy B. Walker ahead in Rutherford County. Spindale's page.
Schools
Rutherford County Board of Education District 01
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua Millwood R | 15,243 | 67.0% |
| Erica Carson Davenport D | 7,512 | 33.0% |
Joshua Millwood ahead in Rutherford County.
Rutherford County Board of Education District 02
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kala Suttle R | 14,888 | 65.7% |
| Kisha McDowell D | 7,769 | 34.3% |
Kala Suttle ahead in Rutherford County.
Rutherford County Board of Education District 03
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| April Mayse R | 16,973 | 100.0% |
April Mayse is unopposed.
Districts
Rutherford Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor 2 seats
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Clint Green | 10,417 | 32.9% |
| Shannon Buckley | 9,849 | 31.1% |
| Cathy Darnell | 4,796 | 15.1% |
| Reggie Hines | 4,431 | 14.0% |
| Mortellus Amorello | 1,831 | 5.8% |
| Brandon Rothrock | 18 | 0.1% |
| Thomas Giggie | 8 | 0.0% |
| Timothy Giggie | 8 | 0.0% |
| Write-In | 315 | 1.0% |
Clint Green and Shannon Buckley ahead in Rutherford County.
North Carolina's official results, file posted Nov 13, 5:05 PM. Unofficial until certified.
Compared with 2024
Margins compare the Democrat and the Republican only. The 2024 column is the presidential margin in the same places as each race's votes here. Shift is this year's margin minus it, shown once at least 90% of the expected vote is counted. A dash means there's no 2024 figure for those exact places.
How Rutherford County has voted for president
| Year | Democrat | Share | Republican | Share | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Kamala Harris | 25.7% | Donald Trump | 73.4% | R +47.7 |
| 2020 | Joe Biden | 26.5% | Donald Trump | 72.3% | R +45.8 |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | 24.8% | Donald Trump | 72.2% | R +47.4 |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | 32.7% | Mitt Romney | 66.0% | R +33.4 |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | 33.6% | John McCain | 65.4% | R +31.8 |
| 2004 | John Kerry | 33.2% | George W. Bush | 66.3% | R +33.1 |
| 2000 | Al Gore | 35.4% | George W. Bush | 63.3% | R +27.9 |
Shares are of all presidential votes, and the margin is the Democrat's share minus the Republican's. Since 2000, the presidential margin here has moved R +19.8.
Other counties in North Carolina
North Carolina results- Alamance County
- Alexander County
- Alleghany County
- Anson County
- Ashe County
- Avery County
- Beaufort County
- Bertie County
- Bladen County
- Brunswick County
- Buncombe County
- Burke County
- Cabarrus County
- Caldwell County
- Camden County
- Carteret County
- Caswell County
- Catawba County
- Chatham County
- Cherokee County
- Chowan County
- Clay County
- Cleveland County
- Columbus County
- Craven County
- Cumberland County
- Currituck County
- Dare County
- Davidson County
- Davie County
- Duplin County
- Durham County
- Edgecombe County
- Forsyth County
- Franklin County
- Gaston County
- Gates County
- Graham County
- Granville County
- Greene County
- Guilford County
- Halifax County
- Harnett County
- Haywood County
- Henderson County
- Hertford County
- Hoke County
- Hyde County
- Iredell County
- Jackson County
- Johnston County
- Jones County
- Lee County
- Lenoir County
- Lincoln County
- Macon County
- Madison County
- Martin County
- McDowell County
- Mecklenburg County
- Mitchell County
- Montgomery County
- Moore County
- Nash County
- New Hanover County
- Northampton County
- Onslow County
- Orange County
- Pamlico County
- Pasquotank County
- Pender County
- Perquimans County
- Person County
- Pitt County
- Polk County
- Randolph County
- Richmond County
- Robeson County
- Rockingham County
- Rowan County
- Sampson County
- Scotland County
- Stanly County
- Stokes County
- Surry County
- Swain County
- Transylvania County
- Tyrrell County
- Union County
- Vance County
- Wake County
- Warren County
- Washington County
- Watauga County
- Wayne County
- Wilkes County
- Wilson County
- Yadkin County
- Yancey County
Sources & scope
Votes for 2026 come from the count this site reads, by county. They're unofficial until North Carolina certifies them. Past presidential votes are from MEDSL and VEST, via Polling Forecast. North Carolina's own results, deadlines and offices are on the state page.