Bertie and Northampton counties started with veterans while Hertford County’s first was a challenger.

Filing for municipal elections started in the Roanoke-Chowan area and throughout the state of North Carolina at noon on Friday.

Three incumbents started the filing in Bertie County as a trio of Windsor residents filed to keep the seats they currently hold.

Windsor Mayor Robert B. &uot;Bob&uot; Spivey filed for reelection to his fourth term as mayor of the town while commissioners James F. &uot;Jimmy&uot; Hoggard III and O. Wint Hale also will seek reelection. Hoggard is seeking his fifth term on the board while Hale is looking to be elected to his ninth term.

Northampton County also began with an incumbent as Seaboard Mayor Melvin F. Broadnax filed for his twelfth term as mayor of the northern Northampton County town.

Hours later a newcomer filed in Northampton as Rodney P. Tann filed for Rich Square Town Commissioner.

Hertford County’s filing efforts began opposite of her two neighbors.

A challenger was the first to file in the county as Lynn W. Johnson filed for Mayor of Murfreesboro.

Another political change came with the filing of Irvin L. Stephens in the town of Como. Stephens, who is seeking the mayor’s seat, is a current member of the Como Town Council.

Later in the day two incumbents filed for reelection in Hertford County.

William McCoy Pierce filed to seek reelection to his position on the Winton Town Council while Ronald Gatling will seek reelection to the Ahoskie Town Council in Ward B.

The following offices are up for election in the towns of the Roanoke-Chowan area:

* Ahoskie – mayor and three town board seats;

* Askewville – mayor and three town board seats;

* Aulander – mayor and five town board seats;

* Cofield – mayor and five town board seats;

* Colerain – mayor and five town board seats;

* Como – mayor and four town board seats;

* Conway – mayor and five town board seats;

* Garysburg – mayor and five town board seats;

* Gaston – mayor and five town board seats;

* Harrellsville – mayor and five town board seats;

* Jackson – three town board seats;

* Kelford -mayor and five town board seats;

* Lasker – mayor and three town board seats;

* Lewiston Woodville – mayor and five town board seats;

* Murfreesboro – mayor and five town board seats;

* Powellsville – mayor and three town board seats;

* Rich Square – mayor and five town board seats;

* Roxobel – mayor and four town board seats;

* Seaboard – mayor and three town board seats;

* Severn – mayor and five town board seats;

* Windsor – mayor and two town board seats;

* Winton – mayor and five town board seats; and

* Woodland – mayor and four town board seats.