Write-in candidate defeats incumbent in N.C.

SOUTHERN SHORES, N.C.

Three weeks ago, George Kowalski says, he went to the polls as a voter and left as a candidate.

The 62-year-old gathered enough write-in votes in Tuesday's election to defeat the uncontested incumbent, Brian McDonald, for a seat on the Southern Shores Council.

Kowalski, a retired teacher and a former member of the town planning board, said he had already decided not to vote for the uncontested seat. He said he has been dissatisfied with the way the council has operated for the past four years.

"I just stood there, and I didn't want to leave it blank," he said about the day he voted early at the Baum Senior Center in Kill Devil Hills. "So I put my name on there."

When Kowalski, the captain of the town's volunteer fire department, told his wife over lunch, she encouraged him to run. After that, he said, it was full speed ahead. He revved up his blog, sent out letters, put up 100 campaign signs about a week before Election Day and took out a newspaper ad, all asking residents to write his name on the ballot.

"The loss of excellent personnel, the lack of infrastructure repair, and the general tone of the council's relationship with its citzenry is not how elected government officials should treat their constituents," he said in a letter he posted on his blog.

All told, he said, he spent about $800. He prevailed over McDonald 520-492 in Tuesday's election.

Melva Garrison, the director of the Dare County Board of Elections, said she did not realize Kowalski was running as a write-in candidate until she saw his ad last Thursday. She doesn't recall another write-in candidate ever winning.

McDonald, who has served on the council for five years, said he knew Kowalski would be a worthy opponent when he heard about the write-in campaign about 10 days ago, but he said he was still surprised by the outcome.

"I knew it was going to be tough," he said. "I didn't truly expect to lose."

McDonald, 50, said he thinks a good number of the people who voted for mayor did not bother to vote in the council race because they did not realize Kowalski was making it a contest with a write-in campaign.

"It was a shame he wasn't on the ballot because I think that would have made a difference," McDonald said.

McDonald, an eight -year resident and the owner of Outer Banks Heating and Cooling, said he has always done his homework and has missed only one council meeting since 2004.

"Who knows? " McDonald said. "I thought I had done a really good job for the town."

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com