Business is picking up.

Thanks to a plethora of filings this week, races have developed in a few towns throughout the region.

The top race on the ballot thus far is in Aulander where incumbent Mayor Joe Jernigan Sr. has filed for reelection. He will meet the challenge of Larry Drew, who filed for the same office on Monday.

Also, the three incumbent Windsor Town Commissioners will face opposition in this year’s election. Current Commissioners Bobby N. “Bob” Brown, Charles W.D. Fulk and Hoyt Cooper have all filed for reelection to the town board.

They will face the challenge of Carroll “Ron” Williams, who put his name on the ballot by filing Friday.

Others who have filed recently in Bertie County include Henry Boschen for the Roxobel Town Commission, Kay Brantley for the Askewville Town Commission and Jeanette Tinkham for the Aulander Commission. All are incumbents.

Askewville Mayor John W. Pierce has also filed for reelection.

No one has filed in Colerain.

In Northampton County, the town of Woodland has had every officer file for reelection. They include Mayor Jay Jenkins and Commissioners Joseph Mitchell and Joseph Blythe.

Lasker Commissioners Charles Daughtry and Robin Gibson have also filed for reelection.

Others who have filed in the past few days include Garysburg Mayor Roy Bell, Garysburg Commissioner Lola Ausby and Seaboard Commissioner R. Vick Harris.

No races have developed in Hertford County, but some towns have seen the entire contingent of current officials file.

They include Ahoskie where Ward A Councilwoman Elaine Myers filed for reelection, joining Mayor Linda Blackburn and Ward B Councilman C.R. Askew.

Como’s entire board has filed now that Stephen Pearce and Susan Kennington have joined Kevin Higbee and Ann Spruill in filing for reelection as town commissioner. Incumbent Mayor Irvin Stephens has also filed.

Others who have filed recently include Harrellsville Mayor Robert Dantz and Commissioner Deborah Baker as well as incumbent Murfreesboro board members Gloria Odum and Sarah Wallace.

Also filing is Winton Commissioner McCoy Pierce.

No official in the town of Cofield has filed to date.

Filing for municipal offices will continue until 12 noon Friday.

Those who have filed to date (with incumbents denoted) include:

Hertford County

Ahoskie: Mayor: Linda Blackburn (I); Commissioner: C.R. Askew (I), Elaine Myers (I);

Cofield: Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: No filings;

Como: Mayor: Irvin Stephens (I); Commissioner: Kevin Higbee (I), Ann Spruill (I), Stephen Pearce (I), Susan Kennington (I);

Harrellsville: Mayor: Robert Dantz (I); Commissioner: Jo M. Liles (I), Deborah Baker (I);

Murfreesboro: Mayor: Lynn Johnson (I); Commissioner: Lloyd Hill (I), Gloria Odum (I), Sarah Wallace (I);

Winton: Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: Wesley Liverman, McCoy Pierce (I);

Bertie County

Askewville: Mayor: John W. Pierce; Commissioner: Kay Brantley (I);

Aulander: Mayor: Joe Jernigan (I), Larry Drew; Commissioner: Bobbie Parker (I), Jeanette Tinkham (I);

Colerain: Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: No filings;

Kelford: Mayor n No filings; Commissioner: James Bland Jr. (I), Wayne Bland;

Lewiston-Woodville: Commissioner: Eddie Graham Jr. (I);

Powellsville: Mayor: Thomas Asbell (I); Commissioner: James Peele, J.T. Watford (I);

Roxobel: Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: Henry Boschen (I);

Windsor: Commissioner: Charles W.D. Fulk (I), Bobby N. Brown (I), Hoyt Cooper (I), Ron Williams;

Northampton County

Conway n Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: Alan Harris (I), Gail Wade;

Garysburg n Mayor: Roy L. Bell (I); Commissioner: Iris F. Williams (I), Lola Ausby (I);

Gaston n Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: Wade L. Moseley (I);

Jackson n Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: Bill Futrell Jr. (I);

Rich Square n Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: Charles M. Eason (I), Raymond Joyner (I), William Smallwood Jr. (I);

Lasker: Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: Robin Gibson (I), Charles Daughtry (I);

Seaboard: Commissioner: R. Vick Harris (I);

Severn: Mayor: No filings; Commissioner: Harold L. Garris (I), Eloise P. Martin (I);

Woodland: Mayor: Jay Jenkins (I); Commissioner: Joseph Blythe (I), Joseph Mitchell (I).