Light turnout expected for Tuesday's primary

By Carey Phillips

Legal wrangling over redistricting forced the primary to be postponed from its traditional May date. As a result, many political observers are predicting a light turnout across the state.

Interest in the Democratic primary for sheriff could help boost turnout in Jackson County. Local election officials said most people voting early through one-stop balloting are citing the sheriff's race as the one they are most interested in.

Sheriff Jim Cruzan is seeking a third term. His primary opponents are Joe Frigo of the Sylva Police Department, Larry Bryson of the Haywood County Sheriff's Department and Jimmy Ashe, former chief deputy for the local sheriff's department who is now employed by the Western Carolina University Police Department.

Due to the late primary date, no runoffs will be held following the primary election; therefore, the winner will meet Republican Curtis Lambert in November's general election.

For the first time, Jackson County will elect a county chairman of the board of commissioners who will not also serve as county manager. Local voters in 2000 voted to adopt the professional county manager form of government, and the county's first professional manager was hired last year.

Stacy Buchanan, the board vice chairman, is seeking chairmanship of the board of commissioners. His Democratic primary opponent is Gene Middleton. The winner is virtually assured of election as there is no Republican candidate.

Democrats will choose a nominee for the District 2 seat on the board of commissioners. Candidates are Sylva Commissioner Maurice Moody, Brian McMahan and former school Superintendent Frank Burrell.

Four seats are open on the Jackson County School Board, but just one race is contested. Candidates are Sarah Altman, Ken Henke, John Reid and Gene Robinson.

Filing for the seat was reopened after Board Chairman Martha Queen died last month.

School board candidates running unopposed are incumbents James Roper in District 3 and Ali Laird-Large in District 4 and newcomer Nathan Moss in District 5.

School board elections are non-partisan and are held at the same time as the primary. Members usually take office in July but will not be sworn in this year until December due to the delayed primary.

The new redistricting plan has Jackson County in the 119th House District along with Swain County and parts of Haywood and Macon counties. Two-term representative Phil Haire of Sylva is being challenged by fellow Democrat Troy Burns of Bryson City.

Nine Democrats and seven Republicans are vying for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Jesse Helms.

The most active campaigners among the Democrats have been former White House Chief of State Erskine Bowles, State Rep. Dan Blue, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and former Durham City Councilwoman Cynthia Brown.

Other Democrats on the ballot include Albert Wiley, a former professor at East Carolina; Duke Underwood, a Realtor; David Tidwell, a retired U.S. Postal Service employee; Randy Crow, a Realtor; and Onslow County Soil and Water Supervisor Bob Ayers.

Former cabinet secretary Elizabeth Dole is widely considered the Republican front-runner. Attorney Jim Snyder has been her most visible primary opponent. Other Republican candidates include Douglas Sellers of Rockwell; Dr. Jim Parker, a radiologist; Ada Fisher, a Rowan County-Salisbury School Board member; Timothy Cook, a textile chemist; and Venkat Chalia, a professor in the Wake Forest School of Medicine.

Court of Appeals Judge Bob Hunter and Rutherfordton attorney Bradley Greenway are seeking the Democratic nomination for a seat on the N.C. Supreme Court.

On the Republican side, Court of Appeals Judge Ralph Walker is running for a seat on the state Supreme Court. His primary opponent is Edward Brady of Fayetteville.

Two Democratic primaries are being held for seats on the N.C. Court of Appeals. Beecher Gray, an administrative law judge, and Raleigh attorney George Barrett are seeking one seat. The other race sends Martha Geer, an appellate lawyer, against Marcus Williams, a Lumberton public defender.

Republican are having three primaries for the Court of Appeals. District Court Judge Fritz Mercer is opposed by Rick Elmore of Greensboro. District Court Judge Eric Levinson is running against Lorrie Dollar, a deputy industrial commissioner. District Court Judge Ann Marie Calabria is facing Nate Pendley of Clemmons.

Latest available statistics show Jackson County with 22,986 registered voters. Of those, 11,368 are Democrats, 6,589 are Republicans, 35 are Libertarian and one is a member of the Reform Party. There are 4,994 voters registered as unaffiliated.

All voters may cast ballots for school board. As for primaries, Democrats and Republicans must stick with their party. Unaffiliated voters may choose which party primary to vote in.

One-stop voting will continue at the Board of Elections office through 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. Absentee ballots must be returned by 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9.

Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Voters in Cullowhee Precinct will now vote at the Jackson County Recreation Center and Cashiers voters will cast ballots at the Cashiers Fire Department. The polling place for Scotts Creek I will continue to be the old Scotts Creek School although a new school has opened in that community.

Polling places for other precincts include:

Barkers Creek, Barkers Creek Community Building; Canada, Canada Fire Department; Caney Fork, Caney Fork Community Building; Dillsboro, Dillsboro Town Hall; Greens Creek, Savannah Community Building; Hamburg, Glenville Community Building; Mountain, Pine Creek Community Building; Qualla, Qualla Community Building; River, VFW Post on N.C. 107; Savannah, Savannah Fire Department; Scotts Creek II, Willets Community Building; Scotts Creek III, Balsam Community Building; Sylva-North, Jackson County Justice Center; Sylva-South, Jackson County Community Service Center; and Webster, old Webster School.

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