Municipal Decision

Published 9:50 am Thursday, October 22, 2015

Depending on which town you reside will determine whether or not a registered voter can cast a One-Stop absentee ballot for the 2015 Municipal Election.

That biennial election cycle officially begins today (Thursday) across the Roanoke-Chowan area with the opening of One-Stop voting. However, not all municipalities conducting elections for their respective town leaders are participating in the early voting process.

In Bertie County, Elections Director Shelia Holloman said One-Stop voting only applies to those casting ballots for candidates in Aulander, Powellsville and Windsor. If you are a registered voter in one of those three towns you may choose to cast a One-Stop ballot, beginning today, on weekdays between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. or on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. There is only one location in the county to cast a One-Stop ballot and that’s at the Bertie County Board of Elections office, located at 210 West Watson Street in Windsor. Early voting ends Oct. 31.

Registered voters in all other Bertie County municipalities conducting an election this year will have to wait to cast a ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 3 (6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.) at their normal voting precinct.

Hertford County Elections Director Shelia Privott said all registered voters living within the corporate limits of Ahoskie, Cofield, Como, Harrellsville, Murfreesboro and Winton can participate in the One-Stop absentee voting method. There will be one voting location for One-Stop at the Cooperative Extension Building located at 301 W. Tryon Street in Winton. One-Stop voting begins today (Oct. 22) and will be open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Oct. 31 is the final day for One-Stop voting.

There will be same day registration during early voting.

Traditional polling places in the six towns mentioned above will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3 for municipal elections.

Those wishing to vote by absentee ballot must request one and turn it in on or before Oct. 27.

In Northampton County, Elections Director Susie Squire reported that in an effort to cut costs, the towns of Conway, Garysburg, Jackson, Lasker, Rich Square, Seaboard, Severn and Woodland resolved not to participate in the One-Stop absentee voting process for this year’s municipal election. Registered voters in those towns may choose to cast a ballot between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at their traditional precinct.

“The town of Gaston also requested not to participate in One-Stop voting, but that request was rejected because the NC State Board of Elections guidelines mandates that the voters in the Roanoke Rapides Sanitary District have the absentee voting option,” Squire noted.

Eligible citizens in the Town of Gaston wishing to vote early may either vote or register and vote during the One-Stop period at the Board of Elections Office (9495 NC Hwy 305, Jackson). The One-Stop voting period begins Oct. 22 and ends Oct. 31. Hours are 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31.

The deadline for Gaston voters to request an absentee ballot by mail is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Those ballots must be received in the County Board of Elections Office by 5 p.m. on Nov. 3.

The following list represents the names of those who have filed for municipal office (note that the actual ballot will inform the voter on the number of seats available among the number of candidates who filed):

Ahoskie Mayor: Rev. C. David Stackhouse and Jimmie Lee Rowe.

Ahoskie Council: (Ward-B) Maurice Vann, and Donald Kirkland; (Ward A) Matt Bradley.

Askewville Mayor: Gloria Bryant.

Askewville Town Commission: Michael Baker, Kay Brantley, and Carla Pesce.

Aulander Mayor: Larry Drew.

Aulander Town Commission: Bobbie Parker, and Tommy Hale.

Cofield Mayor: Hermea Pugh, Sr., Darrell Partlow, and Kirk Taylor.

Cofield Council: Anthony Archer, Stephen Lassiter, Hermea Pugh, Jr., Dacia Sutton, and June Wynn.

Colerain Mayor: Thomas Waicul.

Colerain Town Commission: Jacques Turner.

Como Mayor: Irvin Stephens.

Como Council: Lorie Higbee, Susan Kennington, Stephen Pearce and Ann Spruill.

Conway Mayor: Brian Bolton, and Tommy Barrett.

Conway Town Commission: Alan Harris, Willie Simmons, Gail Wade, Stewart Woodard, Walter Lee Duke, Lokie Majette, Taylor Ward, and Christine Stephenson.

Garysburg Mayor: Roy Bell.

Garysburg Town Commission: Lois Ausby, James Mayo, Iris Williams, Woodrow Harding, and Semiko Jacobs.

Gaston Mayor: James Moore, and Donald W. Conner.

Gaston Town Commission: Jerry Dickerson, Mike Acree, Alice Delbridge, Della Johnson, James Norton, and Deborah Lee James.

Harrellsville Mayor: Mary Louise Thompson.

Harrellsville Council: Deborah Baker, Lisa Hunnicutt, Roy Worrells and Ronnie Revelle.

Jackson Mayor: Jason Morris

Jackson Council: Bill Futrell, and Stevie Harrell.

Kelford Mayor: Bailey Parker.

Kelford Council: James Bland, Wayne Bland, Timmy Eaton, and Tim Emory.

Lasker Mayor: Dick Collier.

Lasker Council: Stevie Flythe, Charles Daughtry, and Robin Gibson.

Lewiston-Woodville Council: Chris Cordon (Lewiston seat), Michelle Gilliam (Woodville seat), and James Pugh (At-large seat).

Murfreesboro Mayor: No candidates filed; winner will be determined by write-in votes.

Murfreesboro Council: Craig Dennis, Randy Roberts, Sarah Wallace, Hal Thomas, Bill Theodorakis, and John Porter.

Powellsville Mayor: Thomas Asbell.

Powellsville Council: James Peele, Carlyle Hoggard, and Joseph T. Watford.

Rich Square Mayor: Doris Risper, and Peggy Cary.

Rich Square Town Commission: Charles Eason, Raymond Joyner, Reginald White, Larry Godwin, and Marcia Majette.

Roxobel Mayor: Gary Johnson, and Alvin Simmons.

Roxobel Council: David Baisey, Stanley Harrell, Sammy Pruden, Henry Boschen, Carolyn Bracy, Carroll Minton, Gene Mitchell, Manuel Joyner, and Alton Parker.

Seaboard Town Commission: Ruth Bek, and Geraldine Langford.

Severn Mayor: George McGee.

Severn Town Commission: Eloise Martin, Joseph Holloman, Parker Wilson, Paige Pinnix, and Tony Herman.

Windsor Town Commission: Bobby Brown, Cathy Wilson, Lawrence “Speedy” Carter, and T.R. “Buddy” Shaw are four candidates seeking three seats; also Jon Powell, who was appointed to fill out the unexpired term of the late Joe Alexander, will be running for his Windsor Commissioner’s seat outright.

Winton Mayor: Tiffany Lewis, and Whitney Farmer.

Winton Council: Blake Blythe, Wesley Liverman, Will Liverman, Emily Winstead, McCoy Pierce, and James “Bud” Manley.

Woodland Mayor: Blake Lassiter, and Kenneth Manuel.

Woodland Town Commission: Pat Liverman, and Cecil Harkey.

There are three candidates on the ballot for Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District Board of Directors: Gene St. Clair, Steve Holliday, and Jack Barber.

About Cal Bryant

Cal Bryant, a 40-year veteran of the newspaper industry, serves as the Editor at Roanoke-Chowan Publications, publishers of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Gates County Index, and Front Porch Living magazine.

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