Beaufort County voters who go to the polls today, Election Day, will help elect a new sheriff for the county, three commissioners and the clerk of Beaufort County Superior Court.

Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.

For sheriff, voters will choose between Republican Ernie Coleman and Democrat Al J. Whitley. Sheriff Alan Jordan, a Democrat, is not seeking re-election.

Voters also will elect three county commissioners to four-year terms on the seven-member Beaufort County Board of Commissioners. Republicans Ron Buzzeo, Keith Kidwell and Frankie Waters are being challenged by Democratic incumbent Ed Booth and Robert Cayton, a Democrat and former commissioner.

The board will have at least one first-time commissioner come December.

Commissioner Al Klemm, a Republican, is not seeking re-election. Commissioner Stan Deatherage did not emerge victorious from the Republican primary in May.

Under the limited-voting system used to election commissioners in Beaufort County, each voter is limited to voting for one candidate. The top three vote-getters will take office in December.

Voters also will decide between incumbent Marty Paramore, a Democrat; Jimbo Shiver, a Republican; and Eva M. Buck, an unaffiliated candidate, in the race for clerk of Beaufort County Superior Court.

Voters also will help elect four members of the nine-member Beaufort County Board of Education and two Beaufort County Soil & Water Conservation District board members. Unopposed in their election bids to the school board are E.D. Peed, District 2; Terry Williams, District 4, Michael Bilbro, District 6; and Butch Oliver, District 8. Washington resident Lex Mann Jr. and Pantego resident James Allen are unopposed in their re-election bids for the Beaufort County Soil & Water Conservation District.

Voters also will have the opportunity to vote for District Attorney Seth Edwards, who is unopposed in his re-election bid. Edwards is the chief prosecutor for the Second Prosecutorial District, of which Beaufort County is a part. Unopposed in their re-election bids are District Court judges Regina Parker and Darrell B. Cayton Jr. They serve in the Second Judicial District, of which Beaufort County is a part.

Some Beaufort County voters will decide between incumbent Paul Tine, a Democrat, and Republican Mattie Lawson to be the state House representative from District 6, which includes part of Beaufort County. Others will choose between incumbent Michael Speciale, a Republican, and Democrat Whit Whitley to represent District 3, which includes part of Beaufort County, in the state House. Beaufort County voters will have a say when it comes to electing the senator to represent District 1, which includes Beaufort County, in the state Senate. They will choose from incumbent Bill Cook, a Republican, and Stan White, a Democrat.

Beaufort County voters will choose from incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan, Republican Thom Tillis and Libertarian Sean Haugh in the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina. The winner serves a six-year term. In the 1^st Congressional District race, some of those voters will decide whether incumbent Democrat G.K. Butterfield or Republican Arthur Rich wins a two-year term in Congress. Other votes will decide if incumbent Republican Walter Jones or Democrat Marshall Adame will represent the 3^rd Congressional District for two years beginning January 2015.

Voters also will mark ballots in several judicial races in North Carolina, from the chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, associate justices on that court and members of the North Carolina Court of Appeals.