Election filings see incumbents lining up
By Matt Shaw
Published in News on April 27, 2004 2:02 PM
Thirteen people signed up Monday at the Wayne County Board of Elections as candidates in this year's elections.
After the first day of filing, voters are already guaranteed some choices and new faces this fall.
County Commissioner Atlas Price filed to keep the at-large seat, the only one elected countywide. But the Democrat will have at least one opponent this year: Goldsboro real estate agent Hal Keck, a Republican making his first run for that office.
In District 4, which spans western Wayne, another incumbent has drawn a challenger. Commissioner Efton Sager, a Republican, and Mark Hood, a Democrat, both made their campaigns official. Hood, a CP&L retiree, is also a political newcomer.
And Register of Deeds John Chance will face Chris West, a Republican. Neither has campaigned for public office previously, as Chance was appointed to his job last November by the Democratic Party.
County Commissioners Andy Anderson, a Republican, and John Bell and Jack Best, both Democrats, also filed. None of the three has any opposition so far.
Best was appointed to the board last week to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of Ken Gerrard for District 6, which spans eastern Wayne.
Anderson's District 1 covers northern Wayne, and Bell's district includes parts of Goldsboro and areas north.
Also Monday, the three Board of Education members whose terms expire this year all filed for re-election. They are Shirley Sims, District 2, which covers portions of southern Wayne; Thelma Smith, District 3, which covers central Goldsboro; and Pete Gurley, at-large. The elections are nonpartisan.
And N.C. Rep. Louis Pate and N.C. Sen. Fred Smith are both seeking re-election. Pate, of Mount Olive, filed in Goldsboro, while Smith, of Clayton, filed in his home county. Both are Republicans.
No one else had filed today as of press time. Filing closes at noon Friday, May 7.
Primary elections will be held on Tuesday, July 20. The general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Anyone interested in local election information can contact the Wayne County Board of Elections at 731-1411. Information about filing for state and national office is available at the State Board of Elections, 919-733-7173.
The Wayne board is keeping an updated list of filings on its Web site, www.waynegov.com/boe.