By Staff
on area ballots
In Beaufort County,
five Democrats vie
for four nominations
By MIKE VOSS
Contributing Editor
From presidential primaries to school-board races, area voters go to the polls Tuesday to mark ballots.
The polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Kellie Harris Hopkins, elections director for Beaufort County, predicts voter turnout in that county will be in the range of 30 percent to 40 percent, “which is good for a primary.” Beaufort County has just over 30,000 registered voters.
The only local primary in Beaufort County will involve the five Democrats seeking seats on the Board of Commissioners.
Democrats Jerry Langley and Robert Cayton, both incumbents, are seeking re-election. Fellow Democrats Stewart Rumley, Steve Steiner and Sonya Shamseldin are seeking election to the board, too.
The top four vote-getters will become the Democratic nominees for the four seats on the board. They will move on to the general election Nov. 4. They will face four Republicans in the general election.
In Martin County, the only local Democratic primaries are for two Eastern District seats on the Board of Commissioners, the District 9 seat in the state House and the District 3 seat in the state Senate. There are no local Republican primary races in Martin County.
Seven Democrats are running for the three East District seats on the Board of Commissioners.
Incumbents Alphonzo “Al” Perry, Elmo “Butch” Lilley and Tommy Bowen filed for re-election. Dempsey Bond Jr., Dink Mills, Edwin H. “Eddie” Modlin and Willis E. Williams filed, too. They will face each other in the May 6 primary, with the top three voter-getters moving on to the Nov. 4 general election to face the lone Republican seeking a seat on the board.
Incumbent Clark Jenkins is being challenged by fellow Democrats Henry Williams II and Willingham for the District 3 seat. The winner of that primary race faces no Republican opposition in the Nov. 4 general election.
Edith D. Warren, the incumbent, is being challenged by Ronnie Smith for the District 9 seat. The winner of that primary race faces no Republican opposition in the Nov. 4 general election.
In Washington County, the lone local primary is the Democratic contest for nomination for the District 4 seat on the Board of Commissioners. C.E. “Buster” Manning and Gregory Boston are facing each other.
In Hyde County, the lone local Democratic primary pits Charles Ray Spencer, the incumbent, against Sharon P. Spencer in the race for the Democratic nomination for the Lake Landing Township seat in the Board of Commissioners.
In the nonpartisan election for the two seats on the Hyde County Board of Education that are up for grabs, Willie Gray Shaw and Thomas Whitaker are on the ballot. All
Area voters will also mark ballots in other primary races.
In the Democratic presidential primary, voters may mark their ballots for Hillary Clinton, Mike Gravel, Barack Obama or indicate they have no preference.
In the Republican presidential primary, voters may mark their ballots for Mike Huckabee, Alan Keyes, John McCain, Ron Paul or indicate they have no preference.
In the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, voters will mark their ballots for Kay Hagan, Duskin C. Lassiter, Jim Neal, Howard Staley or Marcus W. Williams.
In the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, voters will mark their ballots for Pete Di Lauro or Elizabeth Dole.
In the primary to determine the Democratic nominee for the 3rd Congressional District seat now held by Rep. Walter B. Jones, a Republican, voters may vote for either Craig Weber or Marshall Adame.
In the primary to determine the Republican nominee for the 3rd Congressional District seat now held by Rep. Walter B. Jones, voters may vote for either Jones or Joe McLaughlin.
In the Democratic primary for governor, voters may mark their ballots for Richard H. Moore, Dennis Nielsen or Bev Perdue.
In the Republican primary for governor, voters may mark their ballots for Bill Graham, Pat McCrory, Robert F. “Bob” Orr, E. Powers or Fred Smith.
In the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, voters may mark their ballots for Walter H. Dalton, Hampton Dellinger, Pat Smathers or Dan Besse.
In the Republican primary for lieutenant governor, voters may mark their ballots for Timothy Cook, Greg Dority, Robert Pittenger or Jim Snyder.
In the Democratic primary for superintendent of public instruction, voters may mark their ballots for Eddie Davis or June St. Clair Atkinson.
In the Republican primary for superintendent of public instruction, voters may mark their ballots for Joe Johnson, Richard Morgan or Eric H. Smith.
In the Democratic primary for auditor, voters may vote for Beth A. Wood or Fred Aikens.
In the Democratic primary for commissioner of insurance, voters may vote for Wayne Goodwin or David C. Smith.
In the Democratic primary for labor commissioner, voters may vote for Mary Fant Donnan, Ty Richardson, Robin Anderson or John C. Brooks.
In the Democratic primary for treasurer voters may vote for Janet Cowell, Michael Weisel or David Young.
To vote in primaries, unaffiliated voters may request a Democratic ballot, Republican ballot or unaffiliated ballot.
In one nonpartisan Court of Appeals race, all voters may vote for Jewel Ann Farlow, Dean R. Poirier or James A. “Jim” Wynn. In the other nonpartisan Court of Appeals race, all voters may vote for Sam J. Ervin IV, Janet Pueschel, Kristin Ruth or John M. Tyson.