Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page Wins Republican Primary, Faces Potential Recount in State Senate District 26 Race
Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page emerged victorious in the Republican primary race against Phil Berger for the State Senate District 26 seat. Page's lead extended to 23 votes after the counting of provisional and absentee ballots. Despite the official declaration of his win, Berger may not concede and has hinted at a possible recount. Both candidates have set up legal funds in anticipation of a potential legal battle over the election results.
If Berger decides to request a recount, election officials will conduct a machine recount followed by a hand-to-eye recount if necessary. Recounts rarely change outcomes, so Berger may explore other avenues, such as filing election protests. The Rockingham County election board faced challenges regarding voter eligibility, including cases of deceased voters and mismatched registration names. Despite these challenges, the board unanimously agreed to count all three challenged voters' ballots.
Page remains prepared for potential election protests from Berger and is focused on moving forward to the November election. While Guilford County also had voter eligibility issues, the 23-vote margin in Page's favor exceeds the number of challenged voters. Berger could still file election protests over various election irregularities, but the outcome remains in Page's favor for now.