By Staff
Municipal elections are set for Tuesday
By MIKE VOSS
Contributing Editor
Voters in municipalities in Beaufort, Martin and Washington counties go to the polls Tuesday to choose mayors, council members, commissioners or aldermen.
Washington County voters will mark ballots either for or against the county implementing a land-transfer tax.
Martin County voters will decide if the county imposes a quarter-cent sales and use tax in addition to existing state and local sales and use taxes.
Hyde County has no municipal elections because it has no incorporated cities, towns or villages.
Boards of elections canvass ballots seven days after a primary or election.
Beaufort County
Washington Mayor Judy Meier Jennette, serving her first term as mayor after eight consecutive terms on the Washington City Council, is unopposed in her re-election bid.
The Washington City Council will have at least one new member come December. Veteran Councilman Ed Gibson opted not to seek a 10th term on the council. All five seats on the council are available. The mayor and council members serve two-year terms.
Incumbents Mickey Gahagan, Darwin Woolard, Archie Jennings and Richard Brooks are seeking to return to the City Council. Former council member Doug Mercer, Gil Davis, Doris “Dot” Moate, John B. Tate III and Tom Atkins are seeking seats on the council.
Belhaven voters will elect a mayor and three aldermen, two from the East District and one from the West District.
Incumbent Mayor Adam O’Neal is being challenged by Charles O. Boyette, an alderman and former mayor, and Rosemarie Ballance.
In the West District, Robert L. Stanley is a candidate for the one seat available in that district. He is challenging incumbent Albert “Al” Baker.
In the East District, incumbent Cynthia M. Heath, J. Nelson Guy, Mac Pigott, Walt Allen and Karen Fisher are vying for the two open seats.
In Aurora, two seats on the four-member council are up for grabs.
Incumbent Commissioner George Jones is seeking re-election. John L. Weeks and Maechal “Mike” Patterson are in the race, too.
Bath Mayor James G. “Jimmy” Latham is seeking re-election.
This year, Bath voters will elect two commissioners who will serve two-year terms and two commissioners will serve four-year terms. When the two-year terms of commissioners elected this year are up, those terms on the Bath Board of Commissioners become four-year terms. That will result in commissioners serving staggered terms.
Jay Hardin and Marty Fulton are running for the two two-year seats on the board.
Incumbents Rob Jenner and John A. Taylor are running for the two four-year seats on the board.
In Chocowinity, incumbents Arlene Jones and M.L. Dunbar are seeking re-election to the Board of Commissioners.
Pantego voters will mark ballots for a mayor and five commissioners.
Incumbent Mayor Glenda A. Jackson is unopposed in her re-election bid.
Each of the incumbent commissioners — Richard S. Craig, Robert F. Edwards, Frances Foreman, Stuart Ricks and Mart Benson — will be on the ballot this fall.
Washington Park Mayor Tom Richter faces no opposition in his re-election bid.
Four of the five incumbents on the board of commissioners — Don Wilkinson, Jeff Peacock, Zane G. Buckman and Horace B. Cowell — are seeking to keep their seats on the board. Dennie Dale is in that race, too. Incumbent Stacey Shepherd did not file for re-election.
Washington County
Brian Roth, Plymouth’s mayor, is seeking re-election.
In Ward 1, where two seats are available, incumbents Vicki Sawyer and Shirley Barnes are seeking re-election the Plymouth Town Council.
Incumbents Shelton W. McNair Sr. and Gregory S. Boston are seeking to represent Ward 2 on the council. William E. “Gene” Roberts also is seeking one of the two seats available in that ward.
Mary Ann Byers and Mary D. Nixon, both incumbents from Ward 3, are seeking re-election to the council.
In Creswell, the mayor’s seat and two seats on the board of commissioners are available this election cycle.
W.J. “Bill” White Jr. is the incumbent mayor seeking re-election. Gerald Woodley and Syble Spruill, incumbents on the board of commissioners are running for re-election. Nancy Melton is seeking a seat on the board.
Washington County voters will decide the fate of a proposed land-transfer tax.
A land-transfer tax is a tax that is levied when a piece of property is sold. If approved, the land-transfer tax would be 1 percent of the selling price of the land. If a property sells for $85,000, the seller would have to pay $850.
There are exceptions to who is required pay a land-transfer tax. Renters aren’t required to pay the tax. Other exceptions include land that’s a gift, donated or given to someone by way of a will.
Martin County
Williamston voters will mark their ballots for a mayor and five council members — two from District 1, two from District 2 and an at-large member.
Incumbent Mayor Tommy Roberson is seeking re-election. He is being opposed by James E. Leathers Jr.
In District 1, incumbent council members John Samuel “Sonny” Falk and Junious Joel Horton are seeking re-election. Brenda Turner is seeking one of the District 1 seats on the council.
In District 2, incumbent Al R. Chesson and Jerry Knox are seeking to represent that district on the council.
Incumbent Herman B. Daniels is seeking to retain his at-large seat on the council.
In Robersonville, voters will elect a mayor, two council members to represent District 1, two council members to represent District 2 and an at-large council member.
Incumbent Mayor Frank Measamer is running for re-election.
In District 1, where voters get to vote for two council candidates, incumbents Eugene B. Roberson Jr. and Edward Casper are seeking re-election. They are challenged by James Russell Wallace and Bradley C. Sommerer.
District 2 voters also get to mark their ballots for two council candidates. Incumbent council members Ivana T. Ward and Nora Daniels are seeking re-election. Randy Bullock is also in the District 2 race.
John David Jenkins Jr., the incumbent, is seeking re-election as the council’s at-large member.
In Everetts, the mayor’s post and three seats on the town’s board of commissioners are open.
Incumbent commissioners Becky Williams and Ben. A Jones are seeking re-election.
The five seats on the board of commissioners in Hamilton are open, as is the mayor’s seat.
Incumbent Mayor Gil Matthews is seeking re-election. Incumbent commissioners Herbert L. Everett, Ervin Williams, and John Scott Jr. are running to keep their seats. Brian Thomas and Rachel Ward Armston also are seeking seats on the board.
In Hassell, the mayor’s post and five seats on the board of commissioners are up for grabs.
Incumbent Mayor Dennis C. Briley wants voters to return him to office. Incumbent commissioners Greta Cofield, Hattie C. Smallwood, Mildred B. Briley, Archie B. Hardison and Reid Thomas are seeking re-election.
In Jamesville, the five seats on the board of commissioners and the mayor’s seat are open.
Incumbent Mayor Jane Wolfe is running for re-election, as are incumbent commissioners Jim Williams, Molly Ann Long, Willis E. Williams and Elaine Hardison Roberson. Dennis Dale Anton also is seeking a seat on the board.
The five seats on the board of commissioners and the mayor’s post are open in Oak City.
Incumbent Mayor Barbara Cotten is asking voters to return her to office. Larry Edmondson is seeking to unseat Cotten.
Incumbent commissioners Joe R. Ayers, Clinton Powell, William Stalls, Brenda Baker Johnson are seeking re-election. Also seeking seats on the board are Dinah Bunting Gradis, Mike Harrell, Chris Shelton, Daniel Higgs, Patrice Rosario, Eddie Brown and Douglas W. Cannon.
Parmele voters get to mark ballots for a mayor and three commissioners.
Incumbent Mayor Lula H. Council is running for re-election. She faces opposition from Henry R. Wilson. Incumbent commissioners Adline Carr and Lylia Adams are seeking to keep their seats on the board of commissioners. Walter Willet and Richard Andrews also are seeking seats on the board.