Beaufort County voters have this week to vote for one of 26 candidates for U.S. Congress. After Friday, the only day to vote in the primary will be the special Election Day, April 30.

The Beaufort County Board of Elections will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day this week for one-stop voting.

As of last Thursday, 810 county voters had cast their ballots in a crowded race, according to a Board of Elections update. The office was closed Friday in observance of Good Friday. Beaufort County Board of Elections Director Kellie Hopkins said the one-stop voting turnout is comparable to the last U.S. congressional special election in 2016, when the 3^rd Congressional District was redrawn.

The current congressional seat to be filled was held by Walter B. Jones Jr., who died on Feb. 10. Jones, a Republican, served 12 terms in the U.S. House, from 1995 until his death.

The following candidates are running for his seat:

 

CONSTITUTION PARTY

• Greg Holt, New Bern

 

DEMOCRATIC PARTY

• Richard Bew, Newport
• Dana E. Outlaw, New Bern
• Ike Johnson, Jacksonville
• Ernest T. Reeves, Greenville
• Gregory Humphrey, Beulaville
• Allen Thomas, Winterville

 

LIBERTARIAN PARTY

• Shannon Bray, Apex
• Tim Harris, New Bern

 

REPUBLICAN PARTY

• Kevin Baiko, Moyock
• Paul Beaumont, Shawboro
• Graham Boyd, Wake Forest
• Celeste Cairns, Emerald Isle
• Gary Ceres, Greenville
• Chimer Davis Clark Jr., Morehead City
• Don Cox, Belhaven
• Francis C. De Luca, Cary
• Phil Law, Jacksonville
• Jeff Moore, Raleigh
• Greg Murphy, Greenville
• Mike Payment, Grandy
• Joan Perry, Kinston
• Michele Nix, Kinston
• Eric Rouse, Kinston
• Phil Shepard, Jacksonville
• Michael Speciale, New Bern

 

To avoid a second primary, one candidate of each party with multiple candidates must win 30% of the vote within their party. If that’s the case, the general election for the 3^rd Congressional District will be held on July 9. If no one party candidate takes 30% of the vote, then the second-place finisher of each party can request a second primary, which will be held July 9. If a second primary is required, the general election will be held Sept. 10.