JACKSON – Filing closed here Friday, but not before Rich Square had a host of candidates file.

A total of nine candidates are seeking five town board seats in Rich Square, including four incumbent commissioners.

Seeking reelection in the town will be current office holders Charles Eason, Raymond Joyner, William Smallwood and Reginald White. Commissioner Mike Slauzis did not file for a second term.

Joining the four current board members on the ballot will be Nannie Ellen Branch, Linwood Bryant, Victoria Newcombe, J. Dudley Vick and Ricky Vick.

The people of Gaston will also have the opportunity to choose from a bevy of candidates, as four men have filed for two open seats on the town commission. Incumbents Donald Conner and Wade Mosely will be opposed by Jerry Dickerson and Frank Manning.

The only other town in the county with opposition will be Woodland, where three people have filed for two open board seats. Incumbents Joseph Blythe and Joseph Mitchell are seeking reelection while Carolyn Early Spruill has filed to challenge them.

Filing has been extended until 12 noon on Wednesday for a commissioner seat in Seaboard. At the end of filing on Friday, only incumbent Commissioner R. Vick Harris II had filed for two seats on the town board. Incumbent William Lee Grant did not file for another term.

Those wishing to file for that seat only can do so until Wednesday at noon.

Two other towns will see change coming to the town boards.

In Jackson, longtime Mayor John McKellar chose not to seek reelection. Current Commissioner John McKellar filed for the office and is running unopposed.

Conway will see a pair of new town commissioners after incumbent George Clark and Peggy Davis chose not to seek reelection. Those who have filed for the five seats include current commissioners Alan Harris, Billy Joyner and Andy Woodard along with newcomers Phil Matthews and Gail Wade.

Northampton County mayors Brian Bolton (Conway), Jay Jenkins (Woodland), Peggy Risper (Rich Square), Dick Collier (Lasker), Roy Bell (Garysburg), George McGee (Severn) and Danny Tolbert (Gaston) all filed and will run unopposed.

The other town boards will remain unchanged after only current board members filed in Lasker, Garysburg and Severn.

In Lasker, incumbents Charles Daughtry Jr., Robin Gibson and Brenda Whitley filed for reelection while in Garysburg, board members Lola Ausby, Jearline Brown, James Mayo, Darryl Whittle and Iris Williams chose to seek another term. The current board in Severn, consisting of Harold Garris, Frank Ferguson, Eloise Martin, Troy Holloman and Parker Watson, all filed to run again.