Chris Fann has had an eventful year, having to get past a packed May primary and then a June runoff after a too-close-to-call result just to make it to the general election. On Tuesday, it all culminated with a victory and a new job as Sampson County’s new Clerk of Superior Court.
Republican Fann went toe-to-toe with longtime Clerk’s Office employee Tammy Gray in the race, ultimately garnering 10,448 votes (54.31 percent) to Democrat Grady’s 8,788 votes (45.69 percent) to win election to the seat. Both Grady and Fann made it through packed primaries to win their respective party nods back in May, with Fann needingthe subsequent runoff win over fellow Republican Chris Driver.
“I have been at peace through the whole process,” said Fann when reached Wednesday. “It was a total team effort from the party, supporters, friends and family, and I thank them all, especially my wife and everything she has done.”
He also gave credit to Grady, who he said put up a great fight and ran a stand-up campaign. He said that Grady ran her campaign with “integrity and professionalism.”
He said he enjoyed getting to know more about Grady and her family during the politicial process. Grady was similarly gracious in defeat.
“I would like to thank God for giving me this opportunity,” Grady stated after the final results came in. “To my family, supporters and all citizens of Sampson County, I look forward to continuing to serve you in the Clerk’s Office. Congratulations to Chris Fann — together we will make a difference.”
Of the 23 precincts, Fann carried 14 of them, including Roseboro, Salemburg, Autryville, Clement, Clinton West, Clinton Northeast, Ingold, Rowan, Mingo, Plain View, Westbrook, Herring, Keener and Newton Grove. Grady bested Fann in nine of them — Lakewood, Garland, Harrells, Clinton Central, Clinton Southwest, Clinton East, Turkey, Kitty Fork and Giddensville.
Over half of the registered voters in Sampson County came to the polls for this year’s general election.
The 8,421 early voters in Sampson County this midterm far surpassed the 6,148 who cast early ballots in the last midterm election in this county back in 2014 — a 37 percent increase. Likewise, the overall turnout also proved larger, with 19,421 of 38,390 total registered voters in Sampson coming to the polls, a 50.6 percent turnout, greater than the 47 percent turnout in 2014.
That was slightly down from the statewide trend this election, which saw 3,713,703 people cast ballots out of a registered 7,089,657 voters, a turnout of 52.4 percent, according to unofficial numbers.
Fann is on the Sampson Community College Board of Trustees and has served as a board member for the Sampson Regional Medical Center Foundation, Sampson Agri-Exposition Center and Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce. He is a charter member of Clinton-Sampson Rotary Club, involved since its inception in 1993.
He graduated in June 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina State University. Fann was general manager, vice president and co-owner of Clinton Toyota for a decade until becoming general manager for Go Toyota from August 1990 until its sale to Deacon Jones in October 2016. He has been sales manager for Deacon Jones Toyota since then.
Fann and wife Kim have been married for 40 years and have two daughters, Casi Freeman and Savannah Anders, as well as four grandchildren. Fann attends Grove Park Baptist Church in Clinton, where he is a deacon and Sunday School teacher.
Fann said he’s looking forward to his new adventure, being a part of the Clerk of Court’s Office.
“I’m looking forward to the future, I’m looking forward to being the best clerk I can be and I’m going to need everyone’s help,” said Fann. “I will treat everybody who comes in that office as if they were the winning vote. That’s the mindset I’m taking into the job.”