Election Results: Troutman Board of Aldermen

Jenny Blevins: 204 votes (30.58%)
William Bowser: 123 votes (18.44%)
Betty Jean Troutman: 194 (29.09%)
Amanda Weiser: 145 votes (21.74%)
Write-in: 1 vote (0.15%)

Total Votes: 667
*unofficial results

A political newcomer shook up the Troutman Board of Aldermen Tuesday by unseating the town’s mayor pro tem.

Elementary school teacher Jenny Blevins was the top vote-getter in Tuesday’s election, garnering 30.6 percent of the vote in a four-way race for three seats.

Mayor Pro Tem William Bowser, a two-term alderman, was the odd man out, receiving only 18.4 percent of the vote.

Incumbents Betty Jean Troutman and Amanda Weiser — with 29.1 percent and 21.7 percent, respectively — will both keep their seats on the board.

Blevins, who received 204 votes to lead the balloting, could not be reached Tuesday night.

Each voter was allowed to cast votes for three candidates.
According to Iredell County Elections Director Becky Galliher, 246 people voted in the election, meaning Blevins earned the vote of about 83 percent of the voters.

Troutman, who received 194 votes, was supported by 79 percent of the ballot-casters, Weiser (145 votes) by 59 percent and Bowser (123) by 50 percent.

Some 19.5 percent of registered voters participated in the election.

“I’m very surprised by the results,” said Troutman, who has served one full term and another partial term. “I’m very proud and honored that the voters put that much faith in me, but I’m surprised I did this well.”

Weiser said it was a long but rewarding day.

“I tired, and I’m chilled, but I’m good,” she said.

With Blevins’ win, Troutman is now evenly divided with three men — including Mayor Elbert Richardson, who won an uncontested race Tuesday —and three women.

Troutman and Weiser, who is in her first term, both welcomed Blevins’ victory.

“I am not surprised at all by how well she did,” Weiser said. “A lot of people in Troutman know Jenny and her family. I’m happy for her and know she will be a great addition to the board.”

Troutman said Blevins’ relative youth — she is 40 — will help energize the board.

“We really need her,” Troutman said. “She is smart and young and we need her energy.”

The winning candidates will be sworn in next month.

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Posted on 11/06/07 at 08:32 PM
Troutman •Board of Aldermen • (0) Comments

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