---
title: "Manteo, Dare County Voters Reject Sales Tax and Keep Bateman"
url: https://www.hereobx.com/2026/11/04/dare-county-voters-reject-sales-tax-keep-bateman/
date: 2026-11-04T06:25:27-05:00
modified: 2026-11-04T06:25:27-05:00
author: "Rafa Sosa"
categories: ["Politics"]
site: "HERE Outer Banks"
attribution: "HERE Outer Banks"
---

# Manteo, Dare County Voters Reject Sales Tax and Keep Bateman

> MANTEO, N.C. — Voters across Dare County, which is run from the county seat in Manteo, turned down a new quarter-cent sales tax on Tuesday and returned Republican Ervin Bateman to his at-large seat on the Board of Commissioners. All precincts had reported by late Tuesday, and the totals stay unofficial until the canvass. The

*Source: [HERE Outer Banks](https://www.hereobx.com/2026/11/04/dare-county-voters-reject-sales-tax-keep-bateman/) — November 4, 2026 by Rafa Sosa*

MANTEO, N.C. — Voters across Dare County, which is run from the county seat in Manteo, turned down a new quarter-cent sales tax on Tuesday and returned Republican Ervin Bateman to his at-large seat on the Board of Commissioners. All precincts had reported by late Tuesday, and the totals stay unofficial until the canvass.

The tax question lost by 24 points, 62% to 38%. Money from the extra quarter cent was set aside for recreation facility upgrades. Across the county line in Currituck, a similar quarter-cent measure tied to infrastructure and public safety went down by an even wider spread, 65% to 35%.

Bateman held off Democrat Aida Havel 56%-44% in the lone contested commission race. Dare County runs on a commissioner-manager system with seven elected commissioners serving staggered four-year terms, so the board keeps its current makeup.

Turnout reached about 52% of the county’s 33,000 registered voters, with early ballots and Tuesday ballots counted together.

Two open school board seats went to Republicans. In District 1, Stephen Nichols won a tight race over Democrat Kelleta Govan, 53%-47%. In District 3, Rich Shope took 78% of the vote against a write-in candidate whose name was not printed on the ballot.

Further up the ballot, Republican Jerry Tillett, appointed earlier this year to finish a vacated term, kept the District 1 state Senate seat with 55% over Melissa Zehner. Republican Ed Goodwin won the District 1 state House race over Democrat Miriam Rollin, 60%-40%.

The county generally leans Republican in state and national contests, yet the 1st Congressional District is among the most competitive in North Carolina. That held true again: incumbent Democrat Don Davis led Republican Laurie Buckhout 49% to 47% with every vote reported.