Updated election results: Hill 51 votes shy of securing win

Kevin Hill, the Democrat incumbent representing North Raleigh, received 8,116 votes, or 49.69 percent, while his top opponent, Heather Losurdo, received 6,514 votes, or 39.88 percent.

Challengers Jennifer Mansfield garnered 1,331 votes, or 8.15 percent, and Eric Wayne Squires, 353, or 2.16 percent. Nineteen votes, or 0.12 percent, were write-ins.

The latest unofficial numbers, which will be certified Tuesday, include results from provisional and absentee ballots, Gary Sims, deputy director for the Wake County Board of Elections, said.

Hill would have needed at least 8,167 votes to get the required 50 percent he needed to take the seat again.

Because he didn't, Losurdo, a Republican, has said that she plans to ask for a run-off..

"It is my intention to do so," she said in a statement Monday evening. "A majority of voters in the district rejected Kevin Hill’s approach and record as the incumbent member and cast their votes for one of the three other candidates, all of whom agreed on the important issues in this race. The majority should not be denied their wishes."

She has until noon Wednesday to do so, Sims said.  Early voting begins Thursday.

Democrats won four of the five seats that were up for grabs last week, including that of Ron Margiotta, who has led the Republican-backed bloc responsible for a number of changes over the past two years, including a controversial move away from the district's longstanding student assignment policy.

To keep the balance of power on the board from shifting, the majority needs Losurdo to win the race.

In conceding the race, Margiotta said he is worried that if the power of the board shifts, the new board might undo the last two years of work.

Margiotta's supporters immediately began rallying for Losurdo, saying they plan to do whatever is necessary to secure her win.