Municipal races develop

Published 2:46 pm Saturday, July 18, 2009

Filing for municipal office ended with a flurry of activity over the final two days.

With the final filing in, a multitude of towns in Bertie, Hertford and Northampton counties will have election races while some towns were left without a full slate of candidates.

Aulander

Eight people are seeking the three available seats on the Aulander Town Council.

Of the eight who have filed, only two incumbents are seeking reelection; Mary Jane Tayloe and Dennis B. Wilder.

In addition to the incumbents a pair of political veterans will seek spots on the board. They are former mayor Joe Jernigan Sr. and former N.C. House candidate Larry Cooke Jr.

There will also be a variety of newcomers on the ballot including Robin M. Bland, Henry J. Ingram, Kimsey Myers and Jason W. Tinkham.

Ahoskie

In Ahoskie, two town council races developed before the filing period closed.

In Ward A, Jimmie Rowe filed to face incumbent Councilman C. Malcolm Copeland for a spot on the town board.

Similarly, former Hertford County Sheriff Winfred Hardy Jr. will seek to unseat Councilman Ronald J. Gatling in Ward B.

Neither incumbent Mayor Linda L. Blackburn nor Council Member At-Large O.S. “Buck” Suiter will have competition in the November election.

Windsor

A late-hour filing in Windsor means there will be competition in the county seat of Bertie County. Clyde Anders became the third candidate to file for Windsor Town Council. He joins Joe Alexander and David Overton who previously filled out paperwork to seek office.

None of the three are incumbents as current Councilman O. Wint Hale announced that he will not seek another term and Mayor Pro-Tempore Jimmy Hoggard is seeking the office of mayor following the retirement of Mayor Bob Spivey.

Cofield

The voters of Cofield have a choice in the November elections for town council after six candidates filed for five seats.

Newcomer Hermea Pugh Jr. joined incumbents Anthony Archer, Nettie Combo Bickers, Stephen Lassiter, Darrell Partlow and Lee Watford Jr. in filing for a seat on the town board.

Mayor Hermea Pugh Sr. is running for reelection as mayor without opposition.

Murfreesboro

Like its county neighbor, Murfreesboro will have six people seeking five seats on the town council.

Five incumbents – Molly Eubank, Lloyd Hill, Gloria C. Odum, Bill Theodorakis and Sarah Whitley Wallace – will seek reelection to the Murfreesboro Town Council. Joining them on the ballot will be Craig L. Dennis who is seeking office for the second time.

Murfreesboro Mayor Lynn Johnson is seeking reelection unopposed.

Winton

Five incumbents and one newcomer are seeking election to the Winton Town Council.

Incumbents Ernest Green, Charles Jones, Wesley Liverman, Will Liverman and McCoy Pierce have filed for reelection. Also seeking office is Wayne Brown.

Mayor Calvin S. Hall is running unopposed in his bid for reelection.

Roxobel

A mayor’s race developed in the town of Roxobel as incumbent Mayor Gary Johnson will be challenged by current Commissioner H.C. Boschen.

There will only be one current Commissioner returning to office as well. Incumbent Carrol Minton is the only one who is seeking reelection. Three newcomers who have filed for office include David L. Baisey, Harry Culver and Stanley Harrell.

Incumbents Sammy Pruden and Robert McCay chose not to seek reelection.

Gaston

Change will be coming to the town of Gaston following November elections after two incumbents have decided not to seek reelection. Neither Mayor John Acree nor Commissioner Michael Phelps filed to return to their posts.

The only candidate to file for mayor is political newcomer Tim Andrews who is running unopposed for the spot.

Three candidates – including incumbent Louise M. Bailey – will seek two spots on the Gaston Town Commission. The newcomers who filed are Donald E. Dixon and Della L. Johnson.

Colerain

Four candidates are vying for three open seats on the Colerain Town Council.

Newcomer Bob Kaylor will challenge for a seat along with incumbents Bill Harrell, Duncan Hughes and Carroll Northcott.

Conway, Harrellsville, Kelford and Lasker

Four municipalities do not have a full slate of officers.

In Conway, three of the five incumbents and one newcomer filed, leaving one spot available on the town board. Current Commissioners Alan C. Harris, Phil A. Matthews and Gail C. Wade filed for reelection while newcomer Willie G. Simmons also placed his name on the ballot.

Commissioners William R. Joyner and James A. Woodard Jr. chose not to seek reelection.

Mayor Brian E. Bolton is running unopposed.

Also in Northampton County, only two commissioners filed for the town of Lasker. Seeking reelection will be Commissioners Charles Daughtry Jr. and Robin Gibson. Commissioner Brenda Whitley did not file for reelection.

Mayor Dick Collier will face no opposition in his bid for reelection.

The Northampton County Board of Elections had not reached a decision as to the extension of filing as of 4 p.m. Friday.

In Harrellsville, four incumbents filed to retain their seats. They include Deborah Baker, Coleman Taylor, Mary Thompson and Roy Worrells Jr. Incumbent Jo M. Liles did not file for reelection.

Mayor Robert Dantz will seek another term without opposition.

The Hertford County Board of Elections will decide whether to extend filing on Monday.

In Kelford, four names will be on the ballot for the five spots on the town board. Incumbents James Bland, Wayne Bland, Frank Harris and Tierce “Bull” Ruffin filed to seek reelection. Councilman Wade T. Emory has not filed for reelection.

Mayor Bailey Parker is running unopposed to retain that office.

No extension of filing will be held in Bertie County and the seat will be decided by write-in vote.

A full listing of the candidates follows.

Filings in Bertie County include:

Askewville – Mayor: John W. Pierce (I); Town Council: Mike Baker (I), Kay Brantley (I) and Rodney Thomas (I).

Aulander – Town Council: Robin M. Bland, Larry Cooke Jr., Henry J. Ingram, Joe Jernigan Sr., Kimsey Myers, Mary Jane Tayloe (I), Jason W. Tinkham, Dennis B. Wilder (I);

Colerain – Bill Harrell (I), Duncan Hughes (I), Bob Kaylor, Carroll Northcott (I);

Kelford – Mayor: Bailey Parker (I); Town Council: James Bland Jr. (I), Wayne Bland (I), Frank Harris (I), Tierce Ruffin (I);

Lewiston Woodville – Mayor: Carl A. Lee (I); Town Council Woodville District: Martha J. Thompson (I); Town Council Lewiston District: Dayle Vaughan (I); Town Council At-Large: Carolyn Jernigan. The At-large seat is vacant and filing is for the unexpired term ending 2011;

Powellsville – Mayor: Thomas Asbell (I); Town Council: Carlyle Hoggard, James Peele (I), J.T. Watford (I);

Roxobel – Mayor: H.C. Boschen, Gary Johnson (I); Town Council: David Baisey, Harry Culver, Stanley Harrell, Carroll Minton (I);

Windsor – Mayor: Jimmy Hoggard; Town Council: Joe Alexander, Clyde Anders, David Overton.

Filings in Hertford County include:

Ahoskie – Mayor: Linda L. Blackburn (I); Town Council Ward A: C. Malcolm Copeland (I), Jimmie Rowe; Town Council Ward B: Ronald J. Gatling (I), Winfred Hardy Jr.; Town Council At-Large: O.S. “Buck” Suiter Jr. (I);

Cofield – Mayor: Hermea Pugh Sr. (I); Town Council: Anthony Archer (I), Nettie Combo Brickers (I), Stephen Lassiter (I), Darrell Partlow (I), Hermea Pugh Jr., Lee Watford Jr. (I);

Como – Mayor: Irvin L. Stephens (I); Town Council: Susan White Kennington (I), Kevin Higbee (I), Ann E. Spruill (I) and Stephen Frank Pierce (I);

Harrellsville – Mayor: Robert Dantz (I); Town Council: Deborah Baker (I), Coleman Taylor (I), Mary L. Thompson (I), Roy Worrells Jr. (I);

Murfreesboro – Mayor: Lynn Johnson (I); Town Council: Dennis Craig, Molly Eubank (I), Lloyd Hill (I), Gloria C. Odum (I), Bill Theodorakis (I), Sarah Whitley Wallace (I);

Winton – Mayor: Calvin S. Hall (I); Town Council: Wayne Brown, Ernest Green (I), Charles Jones (I), Will Liverman (I), Wesley Liverman (I), William McCoy Pierce (I).

Filings in Northampton County include:

Conway – Mayor: Brian E. Bolton (I); Town Commissioner: Alan C. Harris (I), Phil A. Matthews (I), Willie G. Simmons, Gail C. Wade (I);

Garysburg – Mayor: Roy L. Bell (I); Town Commissioner: Darryl Whittle (I), Jearline V. Brown (I), James M. Mayo (I), Lola Ausby (I), Iris F. Williams (I);

Gaston – Mayor: Tim Andrews; Commissioner: Louise M. Bailey (I), Donald E. Dixon, Della L. Johnson;

Jackson – Commissioner: James W. “Dock” Boone (I), Karin J. Clements (I), Mary Ann Crawley (I);

Lasker – Mayor: Dick Collier (I); Commissioner: Charles M. Daughtry Jr. (I), Robin Gibson (I);

Rich Square – Mayor: Doris Risper (I); Commissioner: Linwood C. Bryant (I), Charles M. Eason (I), Raymond Joyner (I), Joyel D. Vick (I), Reginald White (I);

Seaboard – Mayor: Bobie N. Moss; Town Commissioner: William Gallimore (I), Edward Henderson (I), Danny Hines;

Severn – Mayor: George H. McGee (I); Commissioner: Harold L. Garris (I), Franklin L. Ferguson (I), Troy Holloman (I), Eloise P. Martin (I), Royal P. Watson (I);

Woodland – Commissioner: Les Clark (I), David Cooper (I)

Gates County filings include:

Gatesville – Mayor: Elton Winslow (I); Town Council: C.H. Carter (I), Wade Hobbs (I), Frederick P. Smith Sr. (I)