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Tuesday’s primary will decide commissioners’ races
By Carey Phillips
The spotlight for the Democratic presidential nomination will shine on North Carolina next Tuesday, May 6, as the Tar Heel State holds its primary election.
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama continue to battle for the top spot on the national ticket this fall. Also on the ballot is former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel.
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
The county has 25,151 registered voters. That’s up from 24,200 two years ago and 23,771 four years ago.
Democrats and Republicans may vote in their party primaries. Unaffiliated voters may declare which primary they want to participate in.
As of Tuesday morning, there had been 935 one-stop ballots cast.
“It’s going great,” Election Director Lisa Lovedahl said of one-stop voting. “It’s not as much as I thought it might be because of the interest in the presidential race, but it’s more than we’ve had before and more than most counties our size.”
Locally, voters will select two Democratic candidates for seats on the board of commissioners. Since there are no Republican candidates, the winners of those races will be virtually assured of victory in November.
In District 3 (Cullowhee, Savannah and Webster precincts) incumbent Joe Cowan faces challengers Darrell Fox and Brandon Stephens.
Candidates in District 4 (Canada, Caney Fork, Cashiers, Hamburg, Mountain and River precincts) are incumbent Mark Jones and Steve Foster. The ballot also includes Lynn Dillard, but she has said she is not actively seeking the seat.
Candidates must live in the district they represent, but voting is countywide.
That’s true for the non-partisan school board seats as well. The primary also serves as the general election for the school board, and two spots are open.
Incumbent Mark Brooks is being challenged by Jarrett Crowe and Lisa Parker in District 1 (Barkers Creek, Dillsboro, Qualla and South Sylva precincts).
Incumbent Thurza McNair is unopposed in District 3 (Greens Creek, Savannah and Webster precincts).
Two Sylva men, incumbent Phil Haire and Avram Friedman, are facing off for the Democratic nomination for the State House from District 119.
While the Democratic presidential nomination is still up for grabs, Arizona Sen. John McCain has the Republican race wrapped up. He will be on the ballot along with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of California and former assistant secretary of state Alan Keyes.
Perhaps the most visible contest on the Republican side is the race for the 11th Congressional District seat. Candidates vying to face first-term Democrat Heath Shuler in the fall are Highlands attorney John Armor, retired U.S. Army officer Spence Campbell of Hendersonville and Asheville Councilman Carl Mumpower.
Both parties will decide nominees for governor.
The Democratic candidates are State Treasurer Richard Moore, Lt. Gov. Bev Purdue and retired U.S. Air Force officer Dennis Nielsen.
On the Republican side, candidates are Salisbury attorney Bill Graham, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, former State Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr, State Sen. Fred Smith and Franklin farmer Elbie Powers.
Candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate are State Sen. Kay Hagan, Chapel Hill investment banker Jim Neal, Lexington truck driver Duskin Lassiter, Chatham County podiatrist Howard Staley and Robeson County assistant public defender Marcus Williams.
Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole is being challenged by Pete DiLauro of Raleigh, a retired New York police officer.
Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor are State Sen. Walter Dalton, former gubernatorial aide Hampton Dellinger, Canton Mayor Pat Smathers and Winston-Salem Councilman Dan Besse.
Republicans seeking the office are State Sen. Robert Pittenger, former State Rep. Jim Snyder, biologist Tim Cook of Brown Summit and Greg Dority, a security consultant from Washington.
Democrats running for state auditor are Beth Wood, a former employee of the auditor’s office, and former deputy transportation director Fred Aikens.
Former State Rep. Wayne Goodwin and Durham attorney David Smith are Democratic candidates for insurance commissioner.
John Brooks is trying to win his old job of labor commissioner back. Other Democrats seeking the office are Reynolds Foundation employee Mary Donnan, Wendell businessman Ty Richardson and Raleigh attorney Robin Anderson.
Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson is being challenged by fellow Democrat Eddie Davis, president of the N.C. Association of Educators.
Republicans seeking the superintendent’s post are former House Speaker Richard Moore, Joe Johnson, public affairs director for the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and Eric Smith, a Rockingham County farmer.
Democrats running for state treasurer are State Sen. Janet Cowell, Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel and Buncombe County Commissioner David Young.
Two seats are open on the non-partisan N.C. Court of Appeals.
Candidates for one seat are incumbent Jim Wynn, Greensboro attorney Jewel Farlow and State Employment Security Commission employee Dean Poirier.
The other race has incumbent John Tyson being challenged by Sam Ervin IV, a member of the N.C. Utilities Commission and grandson of the former U.S. Senator, former Wake County Clerk of Court Janet Pueschel and Wake County District Court Judge Kristin Ruth.
One-stop voting will continue through Saturday at the Board of Elections Office on the second floor of the Justice Center and at the Wolfetown Community Building in Cherokee. Hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through Friday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at the Justice Center and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Friday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Cherokee.
The Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee will be open for one-stop voting from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. today (Thursday) and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.
The Cashiers Community Center will be a one-stop site from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.
Voters who are not already registered may do so and cast ballots at the same time at any of the one-stop voting sites.
Absentee ballots that have been mailed out must be returned to the Board of Elections Office by 5 p.m. Monday.
Polling places are as follow:
Barkers Creek, Barkers Creek Community Building; Canada, Canada Fire Station; Caney Fork, Caney Fork Community Building; Cashiers, Cashiers Fire Station; Cullowhee, Jackson County Recreation Center; Dillsboro, Dillsboro Town Hall; Greens Creek, Savannah Community Building; Hamburg, Glenville Community Building; Mountain, Pine Creek Community Building; Qualla, Qualla Community Building; River, Tuckasegee Fire Substation; Savannah, Savannah Fire Station; Scotts Creek I, Jackson County School of Alternatives; Scotts Creek II, Willets Community Building; Scotts Creek III, Balsam Community Building; Sylva North, Justice Center; Sylva South, Community Service Center; Webster, old Webster School.
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