Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame handily defeated two challengers in Tuesday’s Democratic primary to retain his seat as the county’s highest ranking law enforcement officer.
Brame told WIZS News Wednesday, “I would just like to thank God first. Thank my family and to the public. I thank them for their support and re-electing me to continue to be Sheriff for the next for years of Vance County. I’d like to thank my staff and my supporters. And everyone who was involved.”
His priorities, he said, continue to be focused on illegal drugs in the community and having enough staff. “I’ll just continue to focus on the priorities that affect Vance County, the opioids and the fentanyl, and try to get some better financing so I can hire people with the sheriff office and have a better working relationship with our county commissioners.”
With all nine precincts reporting, Brame got 3,305 votes for just over 70 percent of the total votes cast. Challenger Sterlin M. Walker, Jr. got 730 votes and Sean Alston, Sr. got 632 votes.
Kelley Wade Perdue is the apparent winner in the Vance County Board of Commissioners District 4 Republican primary contest. Perdue holds a slim 30-vote lead over incumbent Commissioner Dan Brummitt. Perdue got 187 votes – 54.36 percent – to Brummitt’s 157 votes – 45.64 percent. As of this publication, the margin appears firm enough for victory. Only 34 provisional ballots exist for all of Vance County for the entire primary. While North Carolina General Statute appears to allow Brummitt to request a recount, the fact that the margin of victory for Perdue exceeds the 1% threshold where Brummitt could demand a recount means IF he asks for a recount, then it would be done at the discretion of the Vance County Board of Elections.
Perdue will face Democrat June Lewis III in the November election for the District 4 seat.
The canvass to certify election results for the entire primary will take place on Friday, Mar. 13, according to Elections Board Director Haley Rawles.
If Brummitt ends up requesting a recount, then he’ll have to do so by 5 p.m. on the business day following the canvass.
Perdue told WIZS News that she is grateful to voters who placed their trust in her. “Campaigns are never about one person; they’re about the community and I’m thankful for every conversation, every volunteer, and every supporter who believed in this effort,” she said.
She said she’s already focusing on the general election in November. “The primary was an important step, but the real goal is continuing to engage voters, listening to their concerns, and making sure more people feel informed and motivated to participate in the process.
“What’s really top of mind for me right now is gratitude and responsibility. Gratitude for the support I’ve received, and responsibility to continue working hard for the people of Vance County. This process has reinforced why I decided to run in the first place; to advocate for transparency, accountability, and thoughtful planning for our county’s future,” she continued.
Although WIZS News did reach Brummitt earlier Wednesday, he said he was unavailable at the time for comment.
In the Democratic contest for Vance County Clerk of Superior Court, Eric Burwell got 2,435 votes – 52.48 percent – to interim Clerk of Superior Court Amanda Burnette’s 2,205 votes – 47.52 percent.
There is no opposition in November’s general election, so the winner of the primary will take the position. Burnette was appointed to the job after Henry Gupton retired at the end of 2025.
N.C. House District 32 had two primary contests in Tuesday’s election. Pending official canvass results, Democrat Curtis McRae will face Republican Frank Sossamon in November.
McRae soundly defeated challenger Melissa Elliott, and Sossamon had no trouble with challenger Pamela Ayscue.
Here’s the breakdown by county, first the totals for the Democratic primary followed by the totals for the Republican primary:
Vance County:
- McRae got 1,876 votes – 62.45 percent
- Elliott got 1,128 votes – 37.55 percent
Granville County:
- McRae got 3,186 votes – 64.47 percent
- Elliott got 1,756 votes – 35.53 percent
Vance County:
- Sossamon got 697 votes – 89.36 percent
- Ayscue got 83 votes – 10.64 percent
Granville County:
- Sossamon got 4,292 votes – 88.29 percent
- Ayscue got 569 votes – 11.71 percent
Three seats on the Vance County Board of Education had primaries, with District 1 incumbent Gloria White defeating challenger Cassandra Evans with 431 votes to Evans’s 357.
District 2 Board of Education incumbent Randy Oxendine retained his seat, fending off challenger William Earl Purvis, 449 votes to 198.
Because these two seats have no opposition in the November election, White and Oxendine will retain their seats once the results are certified.
In the District 7 Democratic primary, challenger Angela Cooper Lyons got 494 votes to incumbent Ruth M. Hartness’s 325 votes and challenger Blakely Bates’s 112 votes.
The winner faces Republican Hailey Breeze Macklin in the November election for the District 7 seat.
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