Loris mayoral race decided by one vote

A single vote decided the Loris mayoral race.

When all the ballots were tallied and the election was certified Thursday, Henry Nichols had 247 votes to Michael Suggs’ 246.

“I didn’t know it was going to go down to the wire,” Nichols said.

There was no recount because no one requested one, said Peggy Keefer, chairwoman of the Loris Municipal Election Commission. Any protest had to be filed by 7 p.m. and that didn’t happen.

In her 15 years on the election commission, Keefer said she’s seen races decided by fewer than 10 votes, but nothing like this.

“I don’t remember anything being this close,” she said.

Nichols knew the race would be tight.

He finished second behind Suggs two weeks ago, with Suggs receiving 11 more votes. But the original field included a third candidate, George Protz, and Suggs did not receive more than half of the total votes cast, which forced him into a runoff with Nichols.

Tuesday night’s unofficial results showed Nichols leading by four. When the final tally was announced at city hall on Thursday, Nichols was elated, relieved and floored.

“I was surprised,” he said of the final count.

The 65-year-old retiree grew up in Loris but moved away to attend boarding school and later study at Howard University in Washington D.C. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked in Maryland state government’s Department of Human Resources.

Several years ago, he retired from North Carolina A&T State University as an assistant chancellor and returned to his hometown to care for his ailing parents. Nichols will replace David Stoudenmire, who is stepping down after serving as the city’s mayor for 24 years.

As mayor, Nichols plans to help the city find a full-time administrator and improve its infrastructure, particularly the city’s sewer system and its recreation facilities.

But on Thursday he was just savoring his victory, which came by the narrowest of margins.

“The people have spoken,” Nichols said, “even by one vote.”

This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Loris mayoral race decided by one vote."