The Wilmington-New Hanover County Consolidation Election, February 27, 1973: A Study Of Consolidation Defeat

On February 27, 1973, an election was held in New Hanover County, North Carolina, for the purpose of consolidating the governments of New Hanover County and the city of Wilmington. The result was an overwhelming defeat of consolidation efforts. This thesis attempts to answer some of the questions surrounding this defeat and tries to explain why the voters were so opposed to consolidation.