Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A number of local political leadership seats will be up for election next year across the Roanoke-Chowan area and the state.

Incumbents seeking another term in office as well as first-time candidates looking to toss their proverbial hats into the political ring can begin filing at 12 noon on Monday, Dec. 2. The filing period will remain open until 12 noon on Friday, Dec. 20.

In Bertie, filing is open for two County Commissioner seats: District 1, now held by Ron Wesson; and, District 4, currently held by John Trent; as well as for Register of Deeds, currently occupied by Annie Wilson.

Other elected positions in Bertie, such as Board of Education, Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, etc., will file during a different period.

Candidates are advised to check with the county Board of Election for information about filing fees and dates for county specific contests.

The Bertie County Board of Elections office is located at 210 West Watson Street in Windsor. For more information, call 252-794-5306.

There also two seats on the Gates County Board of Commissioners that are a part of the 2020 election cycle: District 4 (Sunbury and Corapeake areas), currently held by Henry Jordan; and District 5 (Hobbsville area), now held by Linda Hofler.

Gates County’s Register of Deeds position (now held by Cathy Horton) is also part of the 2020 election; as are two seats on the county’s Board of Education: District 2 (Ray Felton) and District 4 (Claire Whitehurst).

Filing fees are $5 for the Board of Education and one percent of the current annual salaries of the Gates County Commissioners and the Register of Deeds.

The Gates County Board of Elections office is located at 931 Main Street, Gatesville. Call 252-357-1780 for more information.

In Hertford County, candidates can file for seats on the Board of Commissioners and for Register of Deeds.

The filing fee for Register of Deeds will be $446. Melanie Storey currently holds that position.

The three Hertford County Board of Commissioners seats open for interested candidates are currently held by Ronald Gatling, John Horton, and Bill Mitchell. Those wishing to file will have to pay a fee of $152.

Candidates can file at the Hertford County Board of Elections, located at 418 Everett Street, Suite A, Ahoskie. For more information, call the office at 252-358-7812.

In Northampton County, local elections will include the Register of Deeds as well as seats on both the Board of Education and Board of Commissioners.

Candidates wishing to file for Register of Deeds must pay a filing fee of $447. Robin Williams currently holds that position.

Four seats on the Board of Education will be up for grabs. Candidates will have to pay $78 to file. The incumbents currently holding these seats are Clinton Williams, Richie Harding, Lloyd Pitman, and Keedra Whitaker.

The District 1 and District 2 seats for the Northampton Board of Commissioners, currently held by Charles Tyner and Geneva Faulkner, will be open for interested candidates to file. The filing fee will be $76.

Candidates can file at the Northampton County Board of Elections, located at 9495 NC Hwy 305, Jackson. For more information, call the office at 252-534-5681.

At the state level, those wishing to file for the NC House of Representatives (local seats are District 5 – now held by Howard Hunter III of Ahoskie) and District 27 – currently held by Michael Wray of Gaston) are required to pay a $140 fee. That identical fee applies to those wishing to file for the local seats in the North Carolina Senate, currently held by Bob Steinburg (District 1) of Edenton and Erica Smith (District 3) of Gaston.

Other statewide seats for the 2020 election cycle include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, all state executives, Justices of the Supreme Court, Judges of the Court of Appeals, Judges of the Superior Court, Judges of the District Court, United States Senators, and members of the House of Representatives of the United States. Individuals seeking those seats are required to file their notice of candidacy with the NC State Board of Elections.

Because of ongoing litigation over the drawing of North Carolina’s 13 congressional districts, filing for candidates for U.S. House has been postponed until further notice.

Candidates must be affiliated with their political party for at least 90 days prior to the filing date.

There is a primary election on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. If there is no clear party nominee in certain contests following the partisan primary election, there may be a second primary for that contest, either on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 (if no contest for federal office in the state requires a second primary), or Tuesday, May 12, 2020 (if one or more contests for federal office in the state requires a second primary).

The date of the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.