WINDSOR – An extended filing period for seats on the Lewiston-Woodville Town Council has, to date, produced one additional name.

On Friday, DiAnne B. Bazemore made her intentions known by entering the race for the Lewiston District seat vacated by current Councilman Dayle Vaughan. He had filed for Mayor of Lewiston-Woodville prior to the end of the original filing period, which ended Aug. 9.

Current Lewiston-Woodville Mayor Carl Lee chose not to seek reelection.

Due to a lack of candidates, the Bertie County Board of Elections, at a special called meeting Aug. 15, moved to allow five extra filing days for any prospective candidates in Lewiston-Woodville seeking the office of mayor or two town council seats.

The extended filing period for Lewiston-Woodville began at 12 noon on Friday, Aug. 23 and ends at noon on Friday, Aug. 30, according to Bertie County Board of Elections Director Shelia Holloman.

Vaughan’s seat on the Council, which is in the Lewiston District, is one of the two that are up for election later this year. Martha Thompson holds the other seat up for election, the one in the Woodville District. Like Lee, Thompson did not file for another term in office.

Bertie County’s filing period for all other municipal offices on the November ballot ended July 19.

“Actually, by law, theirs (Lewiston-Woodville’s) should have ended on the same date as everyone else,” said Holloman.

“They had a different closing date, but their closing date should have been the regularly scheduled closing date,” she added.

Holloman further told the News-Herald that the Board originally granted the extra filing time because of an oversight in the state statute regarding the most recent census that allows for an extension.

“We’re having to open them for five additional days,” Holloman said.

If no candidate files for the Woodville District seat by noon this Friday, there will be a write-in slot on November’s ballot for that open seat.