Roberson, Tripp elected to Knightdale town council [Eastern Wake News, Zebulon, N.C.]

Nov. 13--KNIGHTDALE -- Many who shook James Roberson's hand outside of Hodge Road Elementary on Tuesday may have thought the incumbent councilman already suffered a loss.

He had.

Not in the election: Roberson garnered more votes than any of the six town council candidates.

He had lost a dear friend in Knightdale'sRay Brooks, who died Tuesday afternoon. He was 73.

Word of Brooks' death reached Roberson just 45 minutes after Brooks voted for Roberson and visited him outside the elementary school polling place, the councilman said.

"I just saw him this morning, he was laughing and joking," Roberson said Tuesday. "He was such a good supporter (and) encourager. This is such a devastating loss."

What's more: Tuesday was Roberson's 49th birthday.

"It was an overwhelming day," said Roberson, an academic dean at Wake Technical Community College. "Amid everything, I was touched and deeply, deeply humbled by all the people who turned out for the election."

The crowds did, indeed, hit the polls in record numbers.

In the town council race, 2,942 voted, more than doubling the 1,199 who turned out for the race in 2009.

And the majority of them were there for Roberson. He received 34 percent of the vote, and on Wednesday described this Election Day as "one I'll never, never forget."

Joining him on Town Council will be political newcomer Dustin Tripp, who works in the engineering department for the City of Raleigh. Tripp garnered 19 percent of the vote.

"I'm honored for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Knightdale. That's truly all I can say right now," Tripp said on Tuesday.

Tripp ran on a platform of fiscal and environmental conservancy.

On the outside looking in were Charles Bullock, Reba Pendleton, Steve Sommerville and Doug Taylor.

Pendleton, a 56-year-old, retired paralegal who also previously served on town council, came in third-place with 15 percent of the vote.

Bullock, 65, who owns a local towing company and previously served on town council, came in fourth-place and received 11 percent of the vote.

Taylor, 49, an engineer with the N.C. Department of Transportation, got 10 percent.

Sommerville, 32, an insurance agent running for public office for the first time, garnered 6 percent.

Specht: 919-829-4826

___

(c)2011 the Eastern Wake News (Zebulon, N.C.)

Visit the Eastern Wake News (Zebulon, N.C.) at www.easternwakenews.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services