Published: 9:56 PM, 11/03/2009

Last updated: 12:52 PM, 11/17/2009

By: Melanie Marshall

The polls closed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday evening for municipal races in Watauga County. The preliminary results were released by the board of elections at 9 p.m. The results, based on 94 percent of precincts reporting, are posted below.

For the town of Boone, incumbent mayor Loretta Clawson took 52 percent of votes with 787. Tim Wilson came in with 474 votes, while John J. Mena netted 237. There were seven write-in votes.

Three seats were available for Boone town council. Jamie Leigh took the majority with 937 votes. Incumbent Rennie Brantz was second with 884, while newcomer Andy Ball netted 828.

Matthew C. Long turned up 510 votes, Harold Frazier with 492, Grant N. Holder, 189, Thomas Benjamin Wilhite, 62. There were 24 write-in votes.

Blowing Rock incumbent mayor J.B. Lawrence was unopposed in the race and received 361 votes. There were 39 write-ins.

There were eight candidates vying for three open positions on the Blowing Rock town council. Tommy Lee Klutz had the majority with 245 votes, with Jim Steele right behind at 230. Doug Matheson brought in 205.

The remaining candidates were close behind the preliminary winners. Pat Fountain had 190 votes, Mike Kebelback, 187, George Sudderth, 174, Jerry Starnes, 157, Gary Lee Smith, 40, and two write-ins.

Three positions were open on the town councils of Beech Mountain and Seven Devils. Those municipals appoint the mayor from the elected council.

Paul Piquet netted the majority of Beech Mountain votes at 90, with Cindy Keller one vote behind at 89. E. "Rick" Miller was third with 72 votes.

Gil Adams received 67 votes, Peter K. Chamberlin, 55, Barry Schorr, 33, Randy Corn, 32, David Conrad, 30, and four write-ins.

In Seven Devils, Kay Ehlinger took the lead with 44 votes. David A. Ehmig received 39 and Bob Dodson netted 32. Bill Wilkinson was close behind with 30 votes. There were seven write-ins.

Voter turnout was 14.47 percent at 2,312.