Two election protests thrown out, but recounts will extend NC race by another week

A state lawmaker who lost his reelection bid has filed three recount requests in the tight race for a northeastern North Carolina seat. This follows his filing of three election protests last week citing voting irregularities in the results of the House District 27 race. During the state’s primary, Democratic Rep. Michael Wray, who has served 20 years in the legislature, lost to Rodney Pierce, a social studies teacher, by a margin of 0.36%, or 42 votes. That is within the 1% threshold for a mandatory recount of a non-statewide...