WAYNE COUNTY, N.C. — Wayne County voters headed to the polls Tuesday, November 3, for the 2026 midterm elections, with four seats on the Wayne County Board of Education on the ballot.
According to unofficial election night results, three candidates ran unopposed in Districts 1, 4, and 5, while District 6 featured a contested race between Kathy Meyer Larson and Wade Leatham.
In District 1, Chris West ran unopposed and received 5,402 votes, representing 95.53% of the ballots cast in the race. An additional 253 write-in votes accounted for 4.47%.
District 4 saw Bull Joyner run unopposed, receiving 4,602 votes, or 97.69%. Write-in candidates received a combined 109 votes, representing 2.31%.
In District 5, Dana Vinson Mull also ran unopposed, receiving 4,324 votes, or 95.62%. An additional 198 write-in votes accounted for 4.38%.
The only contested Wayne County Board of Education race was in District 6, where Kathy Meyer Larson led Wade Leatham by 759 votes.
Larson received 3,022 votes, representing 56.53%, while Leatham received 2,263 votes, or 42.22%. An additional 61 write-in votes accounted for 1.14% of the ballots cast in the race.
Wayne County Board of Education Unofficial Results
| District | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Chris West (Unopposed) | 5,402 | 95.53% |
| Write-In | 253 | 4.47% | |
| 04 | Bull Joyner (Unopposed) | 4,602 | 97.69% |
| Write-In | 109 | 2.31% | |
| 05 | Dana Vinson Mull (Unopposed) | 4,324 | 95.62% |
| Write-In | 198 | 4.38% | |
| 06 | Kathy Meyer Larson | 3,022 | 56.53% |
| Wade Leatham | 2,263 | 42.22% | |
| Write-In | 61 | 1.14% |
Wayne County Voter Turnout Reaches 50%
Across Wayne County, voter turnout reached 50.04%, with 38,788 ballots cast out of 77,521 registered voters.
The election results will determine representation on the Wayne County Board of Education, which is responsible for establishing policies, overseeing school district operations, and making decisions affecting students, teachers, and families throughout Wayne County Public Schools.
While West, Joyner, and Mull faced no opponents listed on the ballot, the District 6 race gave voters a choice between two candidates, with Larson maintaining a lead of more than 14 percentage points over Leatham.
All election night results remain unofficial until the Wayne County Board of Elections conducts its official canvass on Friday, November 13, 2026.
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