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Lumberton, Robeson County

Robeson County: Burnis Wilkins leads sheriff race in unofficial returns

With all 39 precincts in, Democrat Wilkins led Republican Dakota Dimery 21,770 to 7,219. The Robesonian reported the same unofficial margin. Not certified.

UpdatedThis story has changed since it was first published.

By Alexandru Stanciu · Published

What we know

Confirmed

  • Unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections for Robeson County sheriff, with all 39 of 39 precincts reporting, listed Democrat Burnis Wilkins with 21,770 votes (74.64%), Republican Dakota Dimery with 7,219 votes (24.75%), and write-ins with 176 votes (0.60%).Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Robeson County results file, accessed Nov. 4, 2026
  • The Robesonian independently reported that Wilkins secured over 74.6% of the vote and that Dimery earned about 24.8%, with write-ins under 1%, and wrote that Wilkins was elected to a third term.Confirmed by The Robesonian, Nov. 3, 2026
  • The Robesonian wrote that Wilkins was first elected sheriff in 2018.Confirmed by The Robesonian, Nov. 3, 2026
  • The same State Board file listed Democrat Matt Scott unopposed for District Attorney District 20 with 20,852 votes, and Democrat Shelena Smith unopposed for Robeson County clerk of Superior Court with 21,206 votes, each with all 39 precincts reporting. The Robesonian independently wrote that both ran unopposed and won new terms.Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Robeson County results file; The Robesonian, Nov. 3, 2026

Still unknown

  • Final certified totals after provisional ballots and the county canvass

What this means for you

Instructions from North Carolina State Board of Elections

This site is not an elections office. Unofficial results are on the State Board's election-results site. Certified results come later from the county canvass. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

What happened

In Robeson County, Democrat Burnis Wilkins is leading Republican Dakota Dimery for sheriff in unofficial returns after the Nov. 3 election.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections' unofficial Robeson County file, with all 39 of 39 precincts reporting, listed Wilkins with 21,770 votes (74.64%), Dimery with 7,219 (24.75%), and write-ins with 176 (0.60%). Those figures are not certified.

The Robesonian reported the same unofficial margin and wrote that Wilkins was elected to a third term. That page said he was first elected sheriff in 2018.

The same State Board file listed Democrat Matt Scott unopposed for district attorney in District 20 with 20,852 votes and Democrat Shelena Smith unopposed for clerk of Superior Court with 21,206 votes. The Robesonian independently wrote that both ran without opponents and won new terms. Certification follows the county canvass.

This site is not an elections office. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Related coverage

Why it matters

The Robeson County sheriff's race decides the elected head of the county's primary law-enforcement agency. Readers need the unofficial margin before certification.

Updates

  1. Nov 4, 2026, 2:05 PM

    First file from unofficial NCSBE Robeson sheriff tallies (39 of 39 precincts) plus The Robesonian. District attorney and clerk lines included from the same State Board file and the same Robesonian roundup.

Sources

  1. Robeson County unofficial results file (NCSBE enr/20261103/data/results_78.txt: ROBESON COUNTY SHERIFF; Burnis Wilkins DEM 21,770 / 74.64%; Dakota Dimery REP 7,219 / 24.75%; Write-In 176 / 0.60%; 39 of 39 precincts; DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT 20 Matt Scott DEM 20,852; ROBESON COUNTY CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT Shelena Smith DEM 21,206; county file stamped November 3, 2026 10:16 pm)

    Official sourcePublished by North Carolina State Board of Elections · Checked Nov 4, 2026, 2:00 PM

  2. Election roundup: Britt, Wilkins, Lowery, Jones win reelection (The Robesonian / Chris Stiles and Victoria Sanderson, Nov. 3, 2026: Wilkins over 74.6%; Dimery about 24.8%; write-ins under 1%; third term; first elected 2018; Scott and Smith unopposed. Text-only; no Robesonian photos used.)

    Published by The Robesonian · Checked Nov 4, 2026, 2:00 PM

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