Incumbents are leading the way in early filing for municipal elections.

The 2007 filing period for those seeking the offices of mayor and town council across the Roanoke-Chowan region opened at 12 noon on Friday and by 4 p.m. a total of eight candidates had filed in Bertie, Hertford and Northampton counties.

According to Northampton County Elections Director Tonya B. Pitts one candidate filed in the opening hours in that county.

The first one to file was incumbent Rich Square Town Councilman Raymond Joyner.

In Hertford County, three candidates have come forward to throw their proverbial hat in the ring. All of those are incumbents, according to Elections Director Sheila Privott.

Seeking a second term as Mayor of Murfreesboro is Lynn Johnson, who filed shortly after the period began.

Wesley Liverman also filed, seeking reelection as a Winton Town Councilman. Also seeking reelection to the town council is Como’s Kevin Higbee.

Four candidates filed in Bertie County, according to Elections Director Shirlie Davenport, with three of them seeking offices in Powellsville.

Incumbent Mayor Thomas Asbell filed for reelection as did incumbent Town Councilman J.T. Watford. James Peele, a newcomer, also filed for the Powellsville Town Council.

The other candidate to file was incumbent Lewiston-Woodville Town Councilman Eddie Graham.

He filed to maintain his representation of the Woodville District.

Filing will remain open until 12 noon, July 20.

“Those wishing to file should bear in mind the muncipal filing period is just two weeks this year,” Pitts said. “In the past, filing has been for a month, but legislation has changed it to just two weeks.”

Those offices which are open for this year include (with incumbents listed in parenthesis):

Bertie County

Askewville – Mayor (John Pierce); three commissioners (Mary Lou Jernigan, Rodney Thomas and Kay Brantley);

Aulander – Mayor (Joe Jernigan); two commissioners (Bobbie Parker and Jeanette Tinkham);

Colerain – Mayor (Burney Baker); two commissioners (Robert Fringer and the vacant seat held by the late Leroy Fairless);

Kelford – Mayor (Tim Emory); five commissioners (James Bland Jr., Frank Harris, Linda Hathaway, Bailey Parker and Tierce Ruffin);

Lewiston-Woodville – three commissioners (Lewiston District n Chris Cordon; Woodville District n Eddie Graham; At-Large n Larry Mizelle);

Powellsville – Mayor (Thomas Asbell); three commissioners (Ernie Carter, L.D. Hoggard and J.T. Watford);

Roxobel – Mayor (Gary Johnson); four commissioners (H.C. Boschen, David Bracy, Carroll Minton and Sammie Pruden);

Windsor – three commissioners (Bob Brown, Hoyt Cooper, Charles W.D. Fulk).

Hertford County

Ahoskie – Mayor (Linda Blackburn); two commissioners (Ward A n Elaine Myers and Ward B n Carl Askew);

Cofield – Mayor (Hermea Pugh); five commissioners (Anthony Archer, Nettie C. Brickers, Ronald Sutton, Lee Watford Jr. and Anthony Wynn);

Como – Mayor (Irvin Stephens); four commissioners (Kevin Higbee, Susan Kennington, Stephen Pearce and Ann Spruill);

Harrellsville – Mayor (Robert Dantz), five commissioners (Deborah Baker, Jo M. Liles, Coleman Taylor, Mary Thompson and Roy Worrells Jr.);

Murfreesboro – Mayor (Lynn Johnson), five commissioners (Lloyd Hill, Gloria Odum, Bill Stephens, Bill Theodorakis and Sarah Wallace);

Winton – Mayor (Calvin Hall); five commissioners (Carolyn Bazemore, Ernest Green, Charles Jones, Wesley Liverman and McCoy Pierce).

Northampton County

Conway – Mayor (Brian Bolton); five commissioners (George Clark, Peggy Davis, Alan Harris, William Joyner and James Woodard Jr.);

Jackson – Mayor (John McKellar); two commissioners (Bill Futrell and Stevie Harrell);

Lasker – Mayor (Dick Collier); three commissioners (Charles Daughtry, Robbin Gibson and Brenda Whitley);

Rich Square – Mayor (Peggy Risper); five commissioners (Charles Eason, Raymond Joyner, Michael Slauzis, William Smallwood and Reginald White);

Severn – Mayor (George McGee); five commissioners (Frank Ferguson, Harold Garris, Troy Holloman, Ellie Martin and Parker Watson Jr.);

Woodland – Mayor (Jay Jenkins); two commissioners (Joe Blythe and Joe Mitchell).

(Editor’s Note: In a story in Thursday’s edition of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, it was incorrectly reported that Woodland would have four commissioners up for reelection. Due to changes in the town charter, Les Clark and David Cooper were elected to four-year terms in 2005 and are not up for reelection.)