Republican Tim Wright wins Polk County sheriff’s race Tuesday

COLUMBUS — Polk County has a new sheriff, as Republican Tim Wright won Tuesday’s election, according to unofficial results from the Polk County Board of Elections.

Wright won the election by more than 1,000 votes over Democrat B.J. Bayne. Wright received 5,073 votes compared to Bayne’s 4,045 votes.

Wright is currently a captain with the Tryon Police Department. Bayne is currently a captain with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Write-in candidate John Metcalf received 72 votes and there were also 10 miscellaneous write-in votes.

Wright took all precincts except Tryon in overall voting, including early voting and on Election Day.

In Coopers Gap, Wright won with 615 votes over Bayne’s 235 votes and Metcalf with five votes.

In Columbus 7, Wright won with 746 votes over Bayne’s 502 votes and Metcalf’s 15 votes.

In Columbus 8, Wright won with 871 votes over Bayne’s 709 votes and Metcalf’s five votes.

Green Creek saw Wright take 773 votes over Bayne’s 635 votes and seven for Metcalf.

Saluda narrowly picked Wright over Bayne with 458 votes for Wright and 444 votes for Bayne and one vote for Metcalf.

Tryon chose Bayne with 937 votes to Wright’s 869 votes and two for Metcalf.

White Oak chose Wright as well, with 531 votes for him and 345 votes for Bayne.

Bayne had more absentee votes turned in so far, with 157 votes to Wright’s 132 votes and Metcalf with one vote.

Curbside also favored Bayne with 81 votes over Wright’s 78 votes and three for Metcalf.

Wright will take over as sheriff next month. Current Polk County Sheriff Donald Hill, a Democrat, did not seek re-election this year. Hill has been Polk County’s sheriff for the past decade, taking over for previous sheriff Chris Abril, also a Democrat.

Polk County has not had a Republican sheriff since former sheriff David Satterfield, who lost the election to Abril in 2006.

Election results will not be made official until absentee and provisional votes are counted and confirmed next Friday, Nov. 16 by the Polk County Board of Elections. No local races will change, regardless of the remaining votes.