Scotland Neck Mayor Robert Partin said today he would appeal the Halifax County Board of Elections' dismissal of his protest over the results of the town election.

Partin said he would appeal to the State Board of Elections. He seeks a new election in Scotland Neck, where he says he has uncovered irregularities, Jane Stancill reports.

Partin lost the election to James Mills, who is expected to be sworn in next month as Scotland Neck's first African-American mayor.

"I am not a bitter loser," Partin said today. "I am an American that expects a fair and honest election."

Partin said he knows of 15 voters who cited addresses of abandoned homes or vacant lots and 11 voters who actually live outside town limits. A high number of provisional votes also raise questions, Partin said, and he believes there are dozens of voters who used inaccurate addresses.

On Tuesday, the Halifax County Board of Elections threw out Partin's protest, while acknowledging one questionable provisional ballot and two voters who voted twice. The board's decision said "there is not substantial evidence of any violation, irregularity, or misconduct sufficient to cast doubt on the results of the election."

The Halifax County Board of Elections has dismissed an election protest by Scotland Neck Mayor Robert Partin, who claimed voter fraud in a predominantly black precinct in town.

Partin was defeated by James Mills, who said he will be sworn in as the first African-American mayor of Scotland Neck. The board did find one questionable provisional ballot and two voters who voted twice—once by absentee ballot and once at the polls on Nov. 6, Jane Stancill reports.

But those votes were not enough to throw the final result into question, the board said in a written decision filed this afternoon after a hearing Monday. The decision said "the protest should be dismissed because there is not substantial evidence of any violation, irregularity, or misconduct sufficient to cast doubt on the results of the election."

Partin sought a new election with his protest, which contended that more than 70 voters used inaccurate addresses. He could appeal the board's findings to the State Board of Elections, but had not filed notice as of this afternoon.