Donald Bennett wins Perry County Commission seat by 1 vote, unseating incumbent Albert Turner

Perry County election officials have confirmed that Donald Bennett has won the District 1 seat for the Perry County Commission by one vote in the May 19 primary election.

Bennett unseated longtime incumbent Albert Turner Jr., who held the seat for 26 years after taking it over for his father, civil rights activist Albert Turner Sr., after he passed away in 2000.

In the ballot counting session Tuesday at Perry County Courthouse, officials say Bennett won the seat with 398 votes to Albert Turner Jr.'s 397 votes. There is a possibility of a recount later this week because of the tight margin.

In the original count from May 19, polls showed Bennett won the election with 395 votes over Turner’s 387 votes.

Because there is no Republican opponent to run in the November general election, the winner of the Primary election wins the seat.

Turner said the outcome was “not what we were looking for,” but said he will remain in office until November and continue working on ongoing county projects. 

“Barnett King Center, still working on the jail, still working on the courthouse annex, still working on the county shop,” he said. 

Bennett, meanwhile, celebrated the result with gratitude and a message of unity. “I tell you, I do things and cut them close, but now that’s close,” he said. “One vote, but I feel very confident about the campaign that stood for it.” He thanked God, his wife, and his campaign team, saying they “believed in the message that I was giving them.”

That message, Bennett said, centered on development, collaboration and visible progress. He pointed to projects he has already worked on, including the Atlas Complex at Judson College, improvements at the Perry County Airport and the Harris Technology Hub downtown. 

“These are the things that I have done,” he said. “Now we have a walking and biking trail… Selma to Marion, Marion to Greensboro, Greensboro to New Bern. That’s going to be bringing in tourism.”

Bennett said his first 100 days in office will focus on implementing a strategic plan funded through a Delta Regional Authority grant. 

“We have that document … on how we’re going to rebuild our downtown and infrastructure and bringing in business here, turning this into a tourist destination,” he said. He also emphasized that he intends to work collaboratively with the full commission. “One thing we won’t do is have just one person that’s going to tell everyone else what’s going to be done,” he said. “We’re going to get information from everybody… and see how we can achieve it collectively.”

Bennett also said he hopes Turner will remain engaged. “He has 26 years of experience,” Bennett said. “He should be willingly, if he loves this community, to share what he has… Just because you don’t have a seat don’t mean you don’t love your community.”

Turner echoed that he will continue to be active in Perry County regardless of the final outcome. “We’re not going to go away,” he said. “We’re going to continue to be involved in this community. We’re going to continue to be involved in politics.”

Both men agreed on one point: every vote mattered. 

“I thank those who came out and voted,” Turner said. “Every vote counted.”