Liveblog: 2009 Durham municipal election results -- BCR calls the race for the incumbents

Well, if that wasn't the most anti-climactic end to a BCR election liveblogging.

After the below comment, and a bit of shop talk with some late-arriving PAC types, it was off to Blue Coffee for the vaunted celebration, an event that had perhaps six or seven times the turnout as the actual BOCC "viewing party."

All the incumbents were there, along with other candidates, other elected officials, and more citizenry than one could shake a stick at.

And as expected, the final voting fell out decidedly in the incumbents' favor. More on the blow-by-blow to follow in the near future.

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The County Courthouse now has one BOE official, one former candidate (John Tarantino), a citizen and a blogger.

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If it's not obvious already, BCR is calling all four races for the incumbents. Off to Blue Coffee Cafe.

Drew is leading all of the challengers in number of votes. 1,312 (28.5%) for Matt Drew with 43% of precincts reporting. Hughes and Williams are inches apart (1,150 and 1,159) respectively, while Allan Polak has found 594 votes to date.

But it's too little, too late.

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36% in, the numbers are still holding. 77% Bell, 76% Cole-McFadden, 72% Clement, 87% Woodard.
So far, the total-challenger percentage vote (save for write-ins) is 84%.

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First numbers are in: 8 out of 58 precincts in (14%), and as expected, the incumbents are sailing. Bell has 80%, Cole-McFadden 79%, Clement 75%, and Woodard 88%.

These numbers include a number of lean-PA districts (including NCSSM in the heart of Watts-Hillandale), but also include early voters, Y.E. Smith, and Yates Baptist.

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They're gearing up for a party over at the Blue Coffee Cafe downtown. Two years ago, it was the site of a somber gathering for the Stith campaign; the Bell re-election machine it drastically outspent, meantime, partied down at the downtown Durham Marriott.

Tonight, it's the home for the celebration of not one but four campaigns, as the loosely-coordinated overlay campaign for the incumbents holds its celebration there.

Meantime, it's a dead room at the County Commission chambers. John Tarantino holds court in one corner, to a total of eight onlookers (plus one intrepid blogger) hanging out here.

Also very different from the rockin' room of years past.

The first results should be out soon. We'll know shortly if this is a nailbiter or -- as most expect, including BCR -- nailed to the wall from the first precincts.

Keep refreshing for live coverage.

Comments

[barry]

First returns are up.

No way any of the incumbents draw less than 65%.

http://www.durhamcountync.gov/departments/elec/2009_Election/Results/Election/Results_Update/SCROLL_Election_Results_Summary.cfm

[barry]

First returns are up.

No way any of the incumbents draws less than 65%

http://www.durhamcountync.gov/departments/elec/2009_Election/Results/Election/Results_Update/SCROLL_Election_Results_Summary.cfm

[barry]

Oh, hell. With 30% of the precincts reporting, there's no way any of the incumbents gets less than 70%, possibly even 73%.

[Rob]

Wow... is that AJAX I see on the county's returns website?

Some developer had fun making that one :)

[G Wolf]

Very fancy indeed. I'm impressed with Durham County IT...