Filing period results in six contested races

By Carey Phillips

The 23 candidates for local office include seven incumbents, two former school superintendents and two who currently hold other elected offices.

More candidates filed for sheriff than any other race. Incumbent Jim Cruzan is being challenged in the May 7 Democratic primary by Jimmy Ashe, Larry Bryson and Joe Frigo. The winner will face Republican Curtis Lambert in November.

The District 2 seat on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, which is being vacated by Conrad Burrell, also drew significant interest. On the Democratic side, candidates are former Superintendent Frank Burrell, Sylva Commissioner Maurice Moody and Brian McMahan. Dodie Blaschik is the Republican candidate.

A Democratic primary for chairman of the board of commissioners will be held between Stacy Buchanan, currently District 3 commissioner, and Gene Middleton. The winner will be unopposed in November.

Democrat Joe Cowan, a former school superintendent, and Republican Linda Belcher will square off in November for commissioner from District 3.

Candidates for commissioner from District 4 are Democrat Eddie Madden and Republican Arnold Nicholson. Incumbent Franz Whitmire is not seeking re-election.

Democratic incumbents running unopposed are District 1 Commissioner Roberta Crawford, Clerk of Court Frank Watson and Register of Deeds Joe Hamilton.

A non-partisan school board election will be held in conjunction with the May 7 primary. In the only contested school board race, incumbent Martha Queen is being challenged by Gene Robinson in District 2.

Incumbents James Roper and Ali Laird-Large are unopposed for re-election from districts 3 and 4, respectively. Also unopposed is Nathan Moss in District 5, where Ray Trine is not seeking re-election.

Two Jackson County Democrats are seeking re-election to the General Assembly. Sen. Dan Robinson of Cullowhee will face Republican Judith Fraser of Haywood County in District 29, a rematch of their 2000 race.

Rep. Phil Haire of Sylva is opposed in the District 75 Democratic primary by Troy Burns of Swain County. The winner will meet Republican Kaye Matthews of Haywood County.

Two Republican incumbents who represent a small portion of southern Jackson County are unopposed. They are Sen. Bob Carpenter of Macon County in District 42 and Rep. Roger West in District 93.

Also unopposed for re-election is District Attorney Charles Hipps, a Democrat.

Four area judges seeking re-election are all unopposed in non-partisan races. They are Marlene Hyatt for Superior Court along with Danny Davis, Brad Letts and Steve Bryant for District Court.

Voter registration deadline for the primary and school board election is April 12.

Applications for absentee voting begin March 18. For more information, call the Jackson County Board of Elections at 586-7538 or visit the website at boe.jacksonnc.org and print out an application. Absentee ballots must be returned by May 6.

County residents no longer have to wait until Election Day to cast their ballots. "One-stop" voting will be in effect from April 18 through May 4 at the board of election office. Also, "no-excuse" voting will be used in the primary for the first time, so one-stop and absentee voting are available for any registered voter.

Back to Archive: 03/07/02.