Where to get live 2010 election results for North Carolina and Mecklenburg County

For live election results for North Carolina and Mecklenburg County, here are a few direct links to the election results from the N.C. Board of Elections, with results Tuesday night.

The election numbers include maps and precinct lists.

Here are statewide election results, including the U.S. Senate race for North Carolina with Elaine Marshall (D) and Richard Burr (R) and Michael Beitler (L), as well as the U.S. House races for the 8th District, with Larry Kissell (D), Harold Johnson (R) and Thomas Hill (L).

Here are Mecklenburg County election results, including board of county commissioners, Mecklenburg sheriff, Mecklenburg judicial races, and the Mecklenburg bonds referendum.

Here's a Mecklenburg voter turnout map.

For national election results with lovely graphics and maps, see The New York Times.

For a direct, permanent link to local, state and national news coverage in The Charlotte Observer, see The Observer's results page.

Close call between Larry Kissell and Harold Johnson for N.C. House District 8

The 8th District of North Carolina, sprawling from Charlotte center-city neighborhoods like Merry Oaks east to Fayetteville, is one of those watched to see how many House seats will switch from Democrats to Republicans nationally.

Larry Kissell, a Democrat in his first term, faces Republican Harold Johnson, a former television sports anchor, and Libertarian Thomas Hill. Kissell narrowly unseated Republican Robin Hayes in 2008 in the district that has traditionally voted Republican for this race.

FiveThirtyEight, a polling aggregation site affiliated with The New York Times, narrowly gives the race to Johnson. Early voting charts provided by The Civitas Vote Tracker, part of the Civitas Institute, a conservative organization, show details about early voting, if you'd like to read tea leaves.

We shall see, Tuesday night.

Background on the race from The Charlotte Observer's Jim Morrill, on Oct. 17.

Great pumpkin wall rises again in the Elizabeth neighborhood of Charlotte

The Great Pumpkin Wall has risen again in Elizabeth, at the corner of Clement Avenue and Eighth Street. As of today, it looks as if it needs some help from expert carvers.

You can also carve at home and bring your pumpkin to the wall.

Official lighting ceremony is at dusk on Friday, Oct. 29. Trick-or-treating at the wall is Saturday, Oct. 30.

Note: The Merry Oaks neighborhood is trick-or-treating on Sunday. Other nearby neighborhoods like Plaza Midwood are planning events for Saturday. The Plaza Midwood Fall Crawl, to raise money to band trees against cankerworms, is on Saturday.

In the photo of the young carvers:
Sophie Cleghorn (left), daughter of John Cleghorn of Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian Church, and friend Kate Hader.

For past pumpkin wall posts, go here.

Charlotte voting information

Here's a Google gadget to help you find out where and how to vote on Nov. 2.

Let me know how it works for you. Information about early voting locations is available separately from the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, in a PDF document.