UPDATE, 4 p.m.
The New Hanover County Board of Elections emerged from closed session around 4 p.m. Secretary Marlene Mitchell and board member Tannis Nelson declined to comment on the board’s activity during closed session, but confirmed that McFadyen is still employed by the county as elections director.
The recount will take place Thursday, Nov. 20 beginning at 10 a.m. The board will meet before the recount to discuss personnel matters and other election issues at 9 a.m.
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UPDATE, 2:45 p.m.
Two of three members of the New Hanover County Board of Elections are currently meeting in closed session to discuss “personnel matters and attorney-client privileges.”
Chairman John Ferrante is not in attendance. Board secretary Marlene Mitchell, acting as chair, noted a quorum is present in his absence.
Before the meeting began, elections supervisor Derek Bowens confirmed a second request for a recount from Dr. Derrick Hickey, Republican candidate for New Hanover County Board of Commissioners. Final election results attributed commissioner-elect Rob Zapple with a 186-vote lead over Hickey.
Bowens said the second request will not require a second recount of all 66,939 votes cast in New Hanover County. Both recounts will take place simultaneously.
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The New Hanover County Board of Elections announced an emergency meeting scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today to discuss a personnel matter, following the arrest and first court appearance of elections director Marvin McFadyen.
McFadyen was booked at the New Hanover County jail around 11:30 p.m. Nov. 15 on charges of assault on a female. He was released on a $1,500 unsecured bond after his first appearance before District Judge James Faison. His next court date is Feb. 16. If convicted, he faces 150 days time.
The Wilmington Police Department responded to the 2500 block of Croquet Drive, near the intersection of Independence and Shipyard boulevards, following a 911 call placed around 10 p.m.
McFadyen’s arrest coincides with a pending request for a ballot recount in the 5th judicial district race between Lindsey McKee Luther and Kent Harrell.
Following Nov. 14 canvasses in New Hanover and Pender counties, Luther secured a narrow victory with 30,756 votes compared to Harrell’s 30,743. Derek Bowens, county elections supervisor, confirmed Harrell’s request for a recount on Nov. 17, but said the board of elections has not yet set a date for the recount to take place.
No state law dictates how quickly the recount must be handled, although multicounty races remain unofficial until the state canvass Nov. 25.
McFadyen confirmed during the canvass that the county received bids to rent two machines to conduct a recount, if requested — a service costing around $8,000 or $9,000.
County commissioner candidate Dr. Derrick Hickey also qualifies for a recount against commissioner-elect Rob Zapple, who won one of two seats on the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners by 186 votes. Hickey must request a recount by 5 p.m. today.
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