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GATESVILLE – An incumbent and a political newcomer have earned their way onto the Gates County Board of Education.

Per the unofficial results of Tuesday’s Primary, Ray Felton, a veteran member of the county’s School Board, and first-time candidate Terri R. Riddick topped the balloting for the two open seats during the 2024 election cycle.

School Board seats are non-partisan.

In the race for the Eure District seat on the board, Felton received 1,228 votes. His opponent, former County Commissioner Jonathan Jones, was named on 1,000 ballots.

The Sunbury District seat was captured by Riddick, who defeated incumbent School Board member Amanda J. Heimbecker, 1,677 – 520.

Felton topped the balloting by both methods: Early Voting (527 – 352) and Election Day (694 – 642). He also received seven votes via Absentee By Mail compared to six for Jones.

Felton was the leading vote-getter in four precincts (Eure, Gatesville, Sunbury [4 South], and Hobbsville). His closest margin of victory among those four was in the Gatesville Precinct (98 – 97).

Jones captured the Gates (141 – 127) and Corapeake [4 North] (133 – 101) precincts.

Riddick held wide margins of victory in the Early Voting (616 – 242) and on Election Day (1,054 – 272). She also held a 7-6 edge in votes cast via Absentee By Mail.

Riddick topped the balloting in all six precincts. She won by 140 or more votes in Eure (202 – 32), Gates (207 – 62), Corapeake (192 – 46), and Hobbsville (184 – 38).

Voter turnout was 28.08 percent as 2,314 of Gates County’s 8,240 registered voters cast ballots during the Primary.

The results are unofficial until the Gates County Board of Elections conducts its Canvass next week.