Newcomers emerge in early filings

Published 1:15 pm Sunday, July 12, 2015

Several challengers have filed early to be on the ballot in the upcoming November municipal elections in the Roanoke-Chowan area.

Week-one produced eight challengers in Northampton County, which was the most of the area; while so far, only one challenger has emerged among early filers in Bertie County.

Powellsville mayor Thomas Asbell and all three sitting town council members (James Peele, Carlyle Hoggard, and Joseph T. Watford) filed early in Bertie County.

Three Windsor town commissioners filed for re-election, all incumbents (Lawrence Carter, Bobby Brown, and Cathy Wilson).  Jon Powell, who was appointed to serve out the unexpired term of late commissioner Joe Alexander, has filed seeking election to that seat outright.

Elsewhere in Bertie, Aulander town council member Bobbie Parker is the only incumbent to file early.  The same holds for the lone filer for Roxobel town council: incumbent Henry Boschen; as well as John Eaton, who filed early seeking re-election to the Kelford town council.

One challenger has emerged for a Bertie County municipal seat: Alvin Simmons has filed for the Roxobel mayor’s post currently held by Gary Johnson, who has yet to file for re-election.

In Hertford County, Donald Kirkland has filed for Ahoskie Town Council, Ward B.  That seat is currently held by Maurice Vann.

Two challengers to incumbent Hermea Pugh are on the ballot so far for Cofield mayor: current town council member Darrell T. Partlow will seek the mayor’s post, and his early filing mayoral opposition is Kirk Taylor.

John Russell Porter has filed for one of the five seats up for election on the Murfreesboro town council; while Hal Thomas has filed seeking another term.

Whitney Ann Farmer has filed for mayor of Winton; and, two Winton town council incumbents have filed: Wesley Liverman and Will Liverman.

Two incumbents have also filed to retain their Harrellsville town council seats: Deborah Baker and Lisa Hunnicutt.

In Northampton County two people have filed for Conway town commissioner: newcomer Lokie Majette and incumbent Stewart Woodard.

Jason S. Morris has filed early for the mayor’s office in Jackson, as has incumbent Jackson town councilman Bill Futrell.

Larry Godwin has filed for election to a seat on the Rich Square town council.  Also filing at the Board of Elections for a Rich Square council seat was incumbent Charles Eason.

The town of Seaboard had one person file early for town council: newcomer Ruth Bek.

Three people filed for Severn town council, with five seats available there: incumbents Joseph Holloman and Eloise Martin, and first-timer Tony Herman.

Incumbent Dick Collier filed for re-election as mayor of Lasker, and Kenneth Manuel seeks the mayor’s post in Woodland.  Cecil Harkey has filed for one of the three Woodland town council posts.