Incumbents dominate Nov. 5 ballot

Published 8:37 am Thursday, October 31, 2013

While Ahoskie citizens have several Town Council candidates to choose from, the vast majority of voters in other Roanoke-Chowan area towns will the familiar names of incumbents on the ballot.

On Tuesday, voters living inside each incorporated town in the area can exercise their right to select those who will lead them for the next two to four years.

Other than Ahoskie, only Lewiston-Woodville and Windsor have contested races.

In Lewiston-Woodville, James Earl Pugh and DiAnne B. Bazemore are both seeking the Lewiston District seat on the Council. June Davis Jernigan filed for the Woodville District seat.

In Windsor, Mayor James F. Hoggard, III is seeking a second term while David Overton and Joe Alexander are unopposed in their quest for seats on the Windsor Town Council. Meanwhile, Lawrence Carter is seeking election for the final two years on the unexpired term of Windsor Councilman Hoyt Cooper, who moved out of town; and Cathy Wilson has filed to fill the unexpired two years remaining on the term of the late Collins Cooper. A third candidate is on the ballot for one of the unexpired seats: former councilman T.R. ‘Buddy’ Shaw. According to election rules all three candidates seeking to fill the two unexpired terms will be on the ballot, and the two highest vote-getters will serve.

Powellsville Mayor Thomas Asbell is going after another term. The three current Powellsville town commissioners are all on the ballot: Carlyle Hoggard, James Peele, and Joseph (JT) Watford.

Roxobel mayor Gary Johnson and the four incumbents for town council: David Baisey, Henry Boschen, Stanley Harrell, and Sammy Pruden are seeking votes on Tuesday.

Colerain Councilman Bill Harrell is joined on the ballot by the two other incumbents: Duncan Hughes and Robert Kaylor.  Also on the ballot will be the unexpired term of council member Thomas Waicul. Anthony Rawls was appointed to the seat upon Waicul’s resignation and has filed to retain it thru 2015.

Five seats are up for election in Kelford, but only four incumbents are on the ballot: Letitia Harris, James Harvey Bland, John Eaton and Harvey Wayne Bland. According to election rules, the fifth seat – currently held by Frank Harris, who did not file for re-election – will be filled with the write-in candidate who receives the most votes. Incumbent Kelford mayor Bailey Parker is also seeking re-election.

In Aulander, Jason Tinkham and Ron Poppell seek votes to retain their seats. Dennis Wilder did not file for re-election and Phillip L. Thomas is on the ballot hoping to be elected to that seat.

In Askewville, Mayor John Pierce did not file for re-election; instead current town councilwoman Gloria Mae Bryant is running for mayor. Michael Baker and Kay Brantley are seeking re-election to the Askewville Town Council with Carla Pesce filing for the third seat up for election.

All five incumbents on the Murfreesboro Town Council are on the ballot and face no opposition: Craig Dennis, Gloria Odum, Randy Roberts, Sarah Whitley Wallace, and Hal Thomas along with Murfreesboro Mayor John Hinton.

Harrellsville mayor Robert Dantz is seeking another term. He is joined on the ballot by Councilwoman Deborah Baker, Mary Thompson and Roy Worrells, Jr. One newcomer on the ballot for Harrellsville Town Council will be Lisa Ann Hunnicutt.

Cofield Mayor Hermea Pugh, Sr. seeks re-election, but there were only four filings for five town council seats: incumbents Nettie (Teen) Combo Brickers, Stephen Lassiter, Anthony Archer, and June S. Wynn. Again, a write-in will determine who fills the fifth seat.

The four incumbent commissioners in Como are on the ballot: Kevin Higbee, Susan Kennington, Stephen Pearce, and Ann Spruill, while the town’s mayoral position currently held by Irvin Lee Stephens, Sr. returns to the ballot.

Finally in HertfordCounty, three people have filed for council seats in Winton: Wesley Liverman, Will Liverman, and McCoy Pierce, all incumbents, will be on the ballot.

Brian Bolton seeks another term as Conway’s Mayor with Alan Harris, Lance Jenkins, Willie Simmons, Gail Wade and James Thomas Jilcott on the ballot for Conway Town Commissioner.

Four candidates have filed for two seats available for Gaston Town Commissioner: Tony Hux, Sr., Alice Delbridge, Erica Nicole Garner Hawkins, and Franklin Manning. Jason Moore, meanwhile, has filed to retain his post as Gaston’s mayor.

Leon “Dick” Collier is running for mayor of Lasker, and three are asking for votes as Town Commissioners:  Charles M. Daughtry, Jr., Stevie Flythe, and Robin Gibson.

A trio of candidates make up the ballot for town commissioner in Jackson: Karin Clements, Mary Ann Crawley, and Jason S. Morris.

Incumbent Mayor Roy Bell seeks another term in Garysburg with the five Garysburg town commissioner candidates being Woodrow W. Harding, Jr., Iris F. Williams, Lois S. Ausby, Chemeka Williams, and James Mayo.

George Hinton McGee is on the ballot for mayor of Severn and the five town commissioner names on the same ballot will be Joseph Troy Holloman, Rita McKeown, Eloise Martin, Royal Parker Watson, Jr., and Tony Herman.

In Rich Square, Doris “Peggy” Risper again seeks the mayor’s post. The ballot for town commissioner includes Linwood C. Bryant, Charles Eason, Reginald White, Raymond White, and Marcia P. Majett.

In Woodland, David L. Cooper and Margaret E. Burgywn are on the ballot for the two town council seats.

Bobie N. Moss seeks the Seaboard mayor’s post and there are four candidates for three town commissioner seats: William M. Gallimore, Ruth M. Bek, Laquita Barnes, and Danny Hines.

About Cal Bryant

Cal Bryant, a 40-year veteran of the newspaper industry, serves as the Editor at Roanoke-Chowan Publications, publishers of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Gates County Index, and Front Porch Living magazine.

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