County ready to take to polls for primary
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on May 1, 2006 1:48 PM
More than 960 voters turned out for one-stop early voting in Wayne County and the county's Board of Elections officials are preparing for even greater numbers when the polls open for the primary election tomorrow.
"From what I'm hearing, some of the bigger counties have had a third of the voters we've had," Wayne County Board of Elections Director Gary Sims said.
The polls open at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday throughout the county, and voters can make their choices until the polls close at 7:30 p.m.
Voters in precincts 5 and 13 will vote at different locations this year. In Precinct 5, residents used to vote at Belfast Fire Station. The new location is Belfast Pentecostal Holiness Church at 3093 U.S. 117 N.
Those who used to vote at Oak Forest Church of Christ in Precinct 13 will now vote at the gym behind Eastern Wayne High School at 1135 New Hope Road.
Sims said voters traveling to Eastern Wayne High should remember students will be in the main building throughout the day. He said voters need to take the Mark Edwards Road entrance to get to the gym.
By the end of the day Tuesday, once precinct officials turn in their results, the Board of Elections office will have an unofficial tally for the primary.
On May 9, after the election canvass at 11 a.m., the office will have the official results for the election. The primary winners in each race will begin campaigning again for the general election in November.
In Wayne County, the most interest is in the races for clerk of court. Democrats Jo Ann Summerlin and Pam Minshew are vying for the Democratic nomination. Republicans Amy Carter Scott and Randy Winders are seeking their party's nod. The winners will square off in November.
Also on the Republican ballot in some parts of Wayne will be a contest for the District 10 seat in the state House of Representatives.
Willie Ray Starling is looking to unseat incumbent Stephen LaRoque.
The district includes portions of Wayne and Lenoir counties and all of Greene County. The term is two years.
All Wayne voters will have a chance to cast ballots in the races for associate justice of the Supreme Court and for two seats on the state Court of Appeals.
The races are non-partisan and open to both Democratic and Republican voters.
In Duplin County, two Democrats and two Republicans are seeking the District 3 seat on the Duplin Board of Commissioners. The winner of the race between Democrats Arliss Albertson and Rebecca Judge will face the winner of the battle between Republicans Harold Raynor and Titus Swinson in November.
Also in Duplin, incumbent Russell Tucker will face fellow Democrat Martin Herring in the primary for the District 4 seat in the state House. Democrats Katie Harrell and Hubert "Pepsi" Merritt will be on the ballot for the county's clerk of court position. Mrs. Harrell is the incumbent.
The only other contested race in Duplin is between Democratic incumbent Johnni Blackwell and Jennings Outlaw for the District 2 seat on the county's Board of Education.
For more information on what precinct to vote in or other election-related questions, voters can visit www.waynegov.com/departments/boe and find their voting precinct.
They can also call the Board of Elections office, located at 209 S. William St., at 731-1411 for more information.