Early voting will begin October 19 at library
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on October 13, 2006 1:47 PM
One-stop early voting begins soon in Wayne County.
Registered voters can cast ballots at the Wayne County Library through Nov. 4.
Voting is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On the final day, voting hours will be 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wayne County Board of Elections Director Gary Sims said.
The library is located at 1001 E. Ash St.
Any qualified voters may also vote by absentee ballot. Residents can request an absentee ballot in person or in writing to the Wayne County Board of Elections office, which is located at 209 S. William St., Goldsboro, N.C., 27530.
Voters will have many options on this year's general election ballot. In the Wayne County Clerk of Court race, Democrat Pam Minshew and Republican Randy Winders are facing off.
Sheriff Carey Winders is seeking another term as he battles challenger Democrat Ken Edwards.
Some Wayne County voters can also choose who will represent District in the United States House of Representatives. Rep. Walter Jones, R-District 3, will be on the ballot against Democrat Craig Weber.
Two North Carolina House of Representatives seats will also be on the ballot, with Democrat Van Braxton and Republican Willie Ray Starling vying for the District 10 seat and Democrat Ronnie Griffin challenging Rep. Louis Pate for his District 11 seat.
The North Carolina Senate also has two races on the ballot this year. Republican Todd Siebels is campaigning for Sen. John Kerr's, D-District 5, seat. Sen. Fred Smith, R-District 12, is seeking another term, battling challenger Democrat Sherry Altman.
One Wayne County Board of Election seat will also be decided by the voters over the next few weeks. Incumbent Lehman Smith will try to retain his District 1 seat by fighting off challenger Dave Thomas.
Some of the races this election year will be uncontested. Eighth District Attorney Branny Vickory is unopposed for re-election to his post. Rep. Larry Bell, D-District 21, will retain his post in the state House, as will Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-District 1, in the U.S. House of Representatives. Wayne County Board of Education members John Grantham, George Moye and Rick Pridgen are unopposed for their District 4, 5 and 6 seats on the board.
The judicial races include two Court of Appeals seats. Kris Bailey and Bob Hunter are vying for one seat while Donna Stroud and Linda Stephens are campaigning for the other.
Beth Heath is running unopposed for her District 8 court seat.
Three N.C. Supreme Court associate justice seats will be on the ballot. Mark Martin and Rachel Hunter, Eric Levinson and Patricia Timmons-Goodson and Ann Marie Calabria and Robin Hudson are facing one another for those seats.
Rusty Duke and Sarah Parker are campaigning for the N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice seat. Ronald Parks, Jesse Jernigan and Bryant Worley are vying for the two available seats on the N.C. Soil and Conservation District.
For more information on judicial candidates, visit the state Board of Elections Web site at www.sboe.state.nc.us or the Wayne County Board of Elections Web site at www.waynegov.com/boe. Both sites have profiles of each judicial candidate.
For any other information regarding elections in Wayne County, call the Wayne County Board of Elections at 731-1411.