Filing begins at 12 noon Monday in North Carolina.

There are a multitude of offices throughout North Carolina that will be on the state ballot.

The race for governor will hold the top spot on the ballot while there will also be campaigns for a variety of other statewide offices.

North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue threw the race for the number one spot in the state wide open recently when she announced she will not seek reelection.

Since that time, a trio of Democrats have announced they will seek the party’s nomination for the office. Lt. Governor Walter Dalton announced for the post as did former U.S. Representative and Superintendent of Public Instruction Bob Etheridge. State Representative Bill Faison, who represents District 50, has also declared as a candidate.

On the Republican side, former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, who lost the November 2008 general election to Perdue, has announced his bid for the office. Douglass Schell, a retired business professor from UNC Pembroke, has also declared his candidacy.

With Dalton’s decision to run for governor, the position of Lt. Governor will also be an open contest when filing begins. Dalton’s term expires this year after having been elected in 2008.

The only declared Democratic candidate is State Personnel Director Linda Coleman, who is a former state representative and Wake County Commissioner.

Three Republicans have announced their intention to run. They are: architect Dan Forest, Wake County Commissioner Tony Gurley and State Representative Dale Folwell, who represents District 74.

Also on the ballot will be the office of Secretary of State. Democratic incumbent Elaine Marshall will seek reelection. No other Democrats have announced a bid.

On the Republican side, Chowan County Commissioner Eddy Goodwin has said he will seek the nod. Also declaring their candidacy are business owner A.J. Daoud and UNC-Greensboro professor Dr. Mike Beitler.

Democratic State Auditor Janet Cowell is the only announced candidate for her office as is Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is also a Democrat.

North Carolina State Auditor Beth A. Wood, a Democrat, will likely have Republican opposition next fall if two declared candidate follow through with their announcement to seek the office.

Former Republican congressional candidate Greg Dority, who lost in his bid to unseat Congressman G.K. Butterfield in 2004, and Republican Wake County School Board member Debra Goldman have announced a run for the office.

The office of Superintendent of Public Instruction appears to already have a crowded field before filing even begins. Incumbent Democrat June Atkinson said she will seek reelection. She will be challenged in her own party’s primary, however, as State Representative Rick Glazier, a five-term Democrat representing District 45, will seek the office.

On the Republican side, there are already four announced candidate seeking the nomination to face the Democratic winner in November. Wake County school board member John Tedesco has announced a bid as has Ray Martin, a teacher from Cary. Two other candidates include Union County Board of Education member David Scholl and former educator Richard Alexander.

Republican Secretary of Agriculture Steve Troxler’s term also expires this year. He has announced his intention to seek a third term.

Democrat Scott Bryant, a farmer from Chatham County, said he will seek office.

Incumbent Secretary of Labor Cherie Berry, a Republican, has not announced if she will seek reelection.

Democrat Marlowe Foster, director of U.S. public affairs for Pfizer and a registered lobbyist, has announced his candidacy for the job.

The final Council of State position on the ballot will be Commissioner of Insurance. First-term incumbent Wayne Goodwin has announced he will seek reelection.

Two Republicans have thrown their hat into the proverbial ring to seek the office. They are Mike Causey, a retired insurance executive and lobbyist, and insurance agent James McCall.

The other statewide races on the ballot will be for North Carolina Supreme Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

The only seat up for grabs on the Supreme Court will be the one currently held by Associate Justice Paul Marin Newby. The incumbent, first seated in 2004, will be seeking reelection.

He will also be facing a challenge, however, as Court of Appeals Judge Sam J. Irvin IV will seek the seat.

There are three seats up on the Court of Appeals – those currently held by Judge Wanda G. Bryant, Judge Linda McGee and Judge Cressie Thigpen.

McGee, the second-most senior judge on the panel, has announced she intends to run again after having already served 16 years on the court.

Bryant was appointed to the court in 2001. She has also announced her intention to seek another term.

Thigpen, who was appointed by Perdue, has made no announcement about his future plans.

Regionally, two members of the United States Congress will seek reelection.

Congressman G.K. Butterfield (D-1^st) announced Friday he will seek another term in the House of Representatives. Thus far no one has announced a challenge to his reelection. He represents all of Bertie, Hertford and Northampton counties and portions of Gates County.

Congressman Walter B. Jones Jr. (R-3^rd) represents part of Gates County. He will be seeking reelection, but will be opposed in the Republican primary by retired New Bern Police Chief Frank Palombo.