As filing for the March – 2016 Primary nears a close, two races have developed for the Hertford County Board of Commissioners.

On Wednesday, John Horton entered the race. The former senior member of the county’s Board of Education, who was defeated in his reelection bid in 2014, has filed for the seat currently occupied by Gary Lewter. Lewter was appointed to that District 1 seat earlier this year to fill the unexpired term of former Commissioner Howard Hunter III following his election to the North Carolina House of Representatives (5th District).

On Dec. 11, current Ahoskie Town Councilman Maurice Vann filed for the District 2 Commissioner’s seat currently held by incumbent Ronald Gatling, recently appointed as board chairman.

As of 2 p.m. on Friday, no one has challenged incumbent District 3 Commissioner Bill Mitchell. He filed two weeks ago.

Also seeking reelection in Hertford County is Register of Deeds Melanie Storey.

Elsewhere across the Roanoke-Chowan area, filing picked-up in Northampton County. There, Lloyd Daquan Pitman, Richie Harding and Tyrone Hargrove all filed for the Board of Education.

Previously filing in Northampton is District 2 incumbent Commissioner Virginia Spruill of Rich Square. She is being challenged by Geneva Nicole Riddick, also of Rich Square.

Other Northampton filings include District 1 Commissioner Joe Barrett of Conway; Register of Deeds Robin Williams; and Board of Education member Clinton Williams.

There were two new filings in Gates County this past week, both Republicans, as Anthony Adams is seeking to earn the Register of Deeds seat while Johnny Dwayne Wiggins filed for the Hobbsville District seat on the county’s Board of Commissioners.

Previously filing in Gates County were incumbent Democrats Cathy Horton for Register of Deeds; County Commissioners Linda Hofler (Hobbsville District), and Henry Jordan (Sunbury District); and Board of Education members Ray Felton (Eure District), and Claire Whitehurst (Corapeake District).

As of 2 p.m. Friday, there were no new filings this week in Bertie County. Previous filings there included incumbent Register of Deeds Annie Wilson of Windsor, and District 1 County Commissioner Ronald “Ron” Wesson, also of Windsor.

Bertie Elections Director Shelia Holloman reported that two individuals have filled out paperwork to be on the November General Election ballot as unaffiliated candidates. One is incumbent District 4 County Commissioner John Trent of Lewiston-Woodvillle. Trent won the seat in 2012 as an unaffiliated candidate. The other is Kashi B. Hall of Windsor, who is seeking the District 1 Commissioner’s seat. Both of those unaffiliated candidates are required to gain the signatures (on a petition) of four percent of the total number of registered voters in Bertie County. The deadline for submitting that petition to the Bertie Board of Elections office is June 24, 2016.

All three incumbents representing the Roanoke-Chowan area in the North Carolina General Assembly have filed: Hunter and District 27 member Michael Wray in the NC House and District 3 State Senator Erica Smith-Ingram.

The filing period in all four counties ends at 12 noon on Monday, Dec. 21. Those wishing to file for any of the seats available during this election cycle can do so by visiting the Board of Elections office in your county of residence. Those offices open at 8:30 a.m.

The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, March 15, 2016. The deadline to register to vote in the Primary is 25 days prior to that election.