The filing period for U.S. House of Representative, county commissioner and other political contests affecting Beaufort County voters ended at noon Wednesday.

Two more candidates for Beaufort County sheriff joined the race: Republican Don Dixon, a former sheriff’s office deputy and private investigator, and Democrat William Chrismon, who retired last year as a captain in the Washington Police Department.

“We’re going to primaries on both sides of the sheriff’s race,” said Kellie Hopkins, director of the Beaufort County Board of Elections. “This one is not as hot as it was a couple years ago when (former Sheriff Alan Jordan) retired, but we’ve still got some competition on both sides.”

Democratic candidates running for sheriff are Al J. Whitney, Petre E. Franks and Chrismon; Republican candidates are incumbent Sheriff Ernie Coleman and Dixon.

Those seeking a place on the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners will not be faced with primaries this election cycle, as there are three Republicans and two Democrats running for the three available seats on the seven-member board. The Democrats are incumbent Ed Booth and Randy Walker; Republicans include incumbent Chairman Frankie Waters, Tandy Dunn and Stan Deatherage, who has previously served on the board.

Neither Clerk of Court Marty Paramore or 2^nd Judicial District Attorney Seth Edwards will face competition in the upcoming election.

In the nonpartisan Beaufort County Board of Education contest, incumbents E.C. Peed, District 2, Terry Williams, District 4; and Butch Oliver, District 8, are seeking re-election.

Primaries will be held for Democrats and Republicans for District 79 in the North Carolina House of Representatives: Democrats are Bryson Kiel Jones, a Craven County Democrat, and current Beaufort County Board of Commissioner Jerry Langley; Republicans seeking the seat are Keith Kidwell and Jim Chesnutt, both Beaufort County residents.

Beaufort County resident C. “Chuck” Earley Jr., a Republican, is seeking to represent District 3 in the North Carolina Senate, a position currently held by Erica D Smith, a Democrat from Henrico. Smith has also filed to retain that seat.

The field of candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives District 3 remains unchanged. Incumbent Representative Walter B. Jones Jr. will be challenged by fellow Republicans Phillip Law, from Jacksonville, and Scott Dacey, a New Bern resident.

“It looks like it’s going to be decided in the primary,” Hopkins said of the District 3 race.

Primaries will not be held for judicial offices in 2018, according to the most recent court rulings. Candidates will file during a special judicial filing period June 18-29. The filing period for superior and district court candidates begins at noon June 18 and ends at noon June 29. This year, judicial candidates may file as unaffiliated without having to qualify through the petition process. The Superior Court (2^nd Judicial District) seat held by Judge Wayland Sermons Jr. is available this election cycle, as are two of the four District Court judgeships in the 2^nd Judicial District.