Making their voices heard
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on November 8, 2005 1:52 PM
Voting was steady at polling places in Mount Olive and Pikeville today, two of the municipalities deciding on representatives for their town boards.
Every seat on the Mount Olive Town Board is up for election. Pikeville voters are choosing three town board members and also deciding whether to permit the sale of beer and unfortified wine within the town limits. The measure has been defeated four times previously.
Voters in several other Wayne municipalities are also choosing board members. Three seats on the Seven Springs Town Board are up for election, along with three in Walnut Creek and two in Eureka. No one filed for office in Eureka, and the winners will be determined by write-in ballots.
Residents of five Wayne County sanitary districts -- Fork, Southern Wayne, Southeastern Wayne, Eastern Wayne and Belfast-Patetown -- were also deciding today who will take seats on their governing boards.
Voters in Princeton and Faison were also going to the polls today to elect town board members.
Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.
In Pikeville, where there are 838 registered voters, 34 people had cast ballots by 8 a.m. at the town fire station.
"It's going nicely. It's been a good, even flow," poll judge Judy Strickland said. "We're expecting a good turnout today."
Mount Olive voters were casting ballots at the civic center and at Southern Academy.
As of 7:30 a.m., 24 people had voted at the civic center, poll judge Doug Wiggins said.
"Turnout is pretty good for a little election like this," Wiggins said. "Mornings are never busy here, even during presidential elections."
Wiggins said he expected voting to pick up as the day goes on. There are 3,668 registered voters in Mount Olive.
At Southern Academy, poll judge Bobbie Jean Bennett said 21 people had voted as of 7:30 a.m.
"I think it's been steady, about the same as other municipal elections," she said. She also said she expected a good turnout.