By By JONATHAN CLAYBORNE
jonathan@wdnweb.com
Staff Writer
The one-stop, “early” voting period for this year’s general election begins at 7 a.m. Thursday.
Registered voters may stop by the Beaufort County Board of Elections to mark their ballots between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
The one-stop period ends Oct. 30.
On that final day, a Saturday, the Board of Elections will be open from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Two “satellite” voting sites also will be open for two days during the one-stop period.
These sites will be open from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Oct. 19 and Oct. 26.
The satellite centers will be located at the Richland Senior Center and the old Town Hall in Belhaven.
Among the races on the ballot this year is the statewide U.S. Senate contest pitting incumbent Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., against challengers Elaine Marshall, a Democrat, and Michael Beitler, a Libertarian.
Also on the ballot is the District 6 state House race in which incumbent Rep. Arthur Williams, D-Beaufort, is being challenged by Republican Bill Cook.
Williams represents Beaufort County and northeast Pitt County in the House. This race will be on all Beaufort County ballots.
Another countywide ballot item is the state Senate competition in which Republican Hood Richardson is taking on Sen. Marc Basnight, D-Dare.
Basnight represents Beaufort County and a swath of neighboring counties in northeast North Carolina.
Voters also will choose between U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., and his Republican foe Ashley Woolard. Butterfield represents part of Washington and Beaufort County south of the Pamlico River.
U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., also has opposition from Democrat Johnny Rouse. Jones represents part of Washington and Beaufort County north of the Pamlico River.
Local races include six candidates for the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners.
These candidates are the three Democrats, incumbent Ed Booth plus Jerry Evans and Sonya Shamseldin; Republican incumbents Al Klemm and Stan Deatherage; and unaffiliated hopeful Bertie Arnhols.
Beaufort County Sheriff Alan Jordan, a Democrat, faces a challenge from Republican Donald Dixon.
Washington attorneys Watsi Sutton and Darrell Cayton Jr. are vying to replace retiring District Court Judge Sam Grimes.
Also going before voters are four seats on the Beaufort County Board of Education, in Districts 2, 4, 6, and 8. These seats are nonpartisan and carry four-year terms.
Included on the ballot are statewide contests for seats on the N.C. Court of Appeals and the N.C. Supreme Court.