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Hickory's Ward 4: Former officer ousts longtime city leader

Robert C. Reed

Hickory City Council candidate Hank Guess discusses precinct returns with his son, Justin, as his wife, Tammy, and son, Jacob, look on.

By Richard Gould | Hickory Daily Record

Published: November 4, 2009

HICKORY - Voters rewarded Hickory City Councilwoman Jill Patton with a second term Tuesday, but rejected incumbent Z. Ann Hoyle's bid for another term.

Challenger Hank Guess defeated Hoyle, who first won her Ward 4 seat 18 years ago, by more than 900 votes.

"I feel good — I'm looking forward to serving on the council," Guess said. "I've just had tremendous support from the city and throughout the community."

He thanked his family for standing by him during his successful primary and general elections. He said he owed his victory to his campaign manager and treasurer, Joe Brannock.

"I couldn't have done it without him," he said.

Patton triumphed in the Ward 6 race, receiving nearly twice as many votes as challenger Harry Hipps.

"I just want to say thanks to all my supporters," she said.

Patton said she sees their votes as a validation of the job she's done in her first term in office.

"I'm excited about the next four years," she said.

Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright ran unopposed, as did Ward 5 Councilwoman Sally Fox.

"I am once again excited about the democratic process," Wright said. "It's going to be a good city council and we're going to continue to move the city forward."

Fox said she's going to continue to focus on filling Hickory's vacant buildings and expanding the city's tax base.

"I've got a lot of ideas and I'm ready to move forward," she said.

Catawba County Board of Elections Director Larry Brewer said the low voter turnout did not surprise him.

Brewer said Hickory mayoral contests usually draw more voters out to the polls and if Wright would have had opposition, the turnout may have been higher this year.

BY THE NUMBERS:
Ward 4 results:

Hank Guess: 1,583

Z. Anne Hoyle: 655

Ward 6 results:

Jill Patton: 1,419

Harry Hipps: 718

26,369: Registered voters in Hickory

10,581: Republicans (40.1 percent)

9,448: Democrats (35.8 percent)

6,317: Unaffiliated (24 percent)

23: Libertarians (.09 percent)