Pender County sheriff results: Cutler wins Republican primary

Sheriff Alan Cutler is on his way to his second term as top lawman in Pender County, early results from Tuesday's primary election indicate. 

Three Republican candidates for Pender County Sheriff faced off in Tuesday's primary election, and incumbent Cutler took more than 54% of the votes cast. 

Cutler faced two Republican newcomers in Tuesday's primary: Mike Sorg and Mike Korn. Sorg presently works at the Holly Ridge Police Department in Onslow County where he took the helm as chief in 2020. Korn is a retired Guilford County deputy sheriff.

With all precincts reporting, Sorg earned 2,426 votes, or 40.2%, and Korn earned 328, or 5.4%. Cutler took 3,281 of the 8,092 votes cast.

Cutler was first elected in 2018, after 24 years working in the N.C. State Highway Patrol and prior experience with the Pender County Sheriff's Office.

In the 2018 Republican primary, Cutler faced six candidates and won more than 50% of the votes. 

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According to his campaign website, Sorg has more than 20 years of experience as a law enforcement officer with prior stints as a captain at the Wrightsville Beach Police Department and deputy sheriff with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office. 

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Korn has more than 20 years of experience, including both city and county patrol, and field and administrative duties, according to his campaign website. 

Cutler currently makes an annual salary of just over $100,000 in the position.

No Democratic or Libertarian candidates filed to run for the job, Cutler will be listed unopposed on the November ballot. Sheriffs are elected to four year terms. 

All results are considered unofficial until the Pender County Board of Elections holds its vote canvass.

The canvass ensures votes have been counted correctly and required audits have been completed. During the canvass, election officials consider challenges to votes and process provisional ballots and absentee ballots received after Election Day. 

The canvass process is required by law and is held after every election, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Jamey Cross is the public safety reporter at the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on Twitter @jameybcross.