The decisive win — 69% for Moore, 31% for Watson — came in a race spotlighted by a high-profile dispute over a marriage license denial that exposed an experience gap between Moore and her opponent, Kristina Watson.

Moore, a Haywood County native with more than 12 years working in the register’s office and nearly two more in related clerical roles, emphasized her deep familiarity with statutory duties, indexing standards and real-world record-keeping complexities.

Watson, who has no prior register of deeds experience and recently moved to the county from Buncombe County, argued her customer service background and clerical work prepared her for office, citing frustration with how her own marriage license application was handled as motivation to run.

Moore countered that Watson’s understanding of North Carolina law was flawed and stressed that the office’s responsibilities extend far beyond marriage licensing to include real estate transactions, vital records and documentation accuracy. Observers and current office staff noted that registers must strictly follow legal standards, not personal preference.

Moore’s victory signals voter preference for experience rooted in detailed, statutory work over outsider perspectives on the role.

No Democrats filed for the race. Moore will take office later this year. 

Check back with The Smoky Mountain News for full results and detailed analysis across Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties in our March 11 issue.