Filing for midterms begins two weeks from today
By Steve Herring
Published in News on February 5, 2018 5:50 AM
Filing for most offices to be decided in November's midterm elections begins at noon Monday, Feb. 12, and ends at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
Filing for judicial offices had been scheduled for June 18 to 29 in the wake of legislation eliminating judicial primaries.
However, a federal judge last week ruled in favor of Gov. Roy Cooper who challenged that law.
The judge ordered the reinstatement of primaries for statewide Supreme Court and Court of Appeals races.
"They (state) have given us very little bit of guidance," Wayne County Elections Director Dane Beavers said.
Beavers said he had received a letter from the state letting him know the court had ruled in Cooper's favor.
There has been no further word, he said.
"We have not gotten any guidance from the state board (of elections) on filing," he said. "I can't say that we are standing by, anticipating some additional guidance from the state.
"We're ready to adapt as quickly as possible like we normally do because we have been in this what, about three years now, checking the rules a week before election day."
There has even been some discussion of special elections, Beavers said.
"We are going to do a primary election with or without judges," Beavers said.
The primary will be held Tuesday, May 8, and the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Candidates for the following offices will file at the Wayne County Board of Elections office, 209 S. William St.:
* N.C. Senate District 5, now held by Democrat Don Davis of Snow Hill.
* N.C. Senate District 7, now held by Republican Louis Pate of Mount Olive.
* N.C. House of Representatives District 4, now held by Republican Jimmy Dixon of Mount Olive.
* N.C. House of Representatives District 10, now held by Republican John Bell of Goldsboro.
* N.C. House of Representatives District 21, now held by Democrat Larry Bell of Clinton, who has announced he will not seek re-election.
* Sheriff, currently Larry Pierce, Republican.
* Clerk of Court, currently Pam Minshew, Democrat.
* Wayne County Board of Education, four seats now held by Chris West, District 1; Jennifer Strickland, District 4; Arnold Flowers, District 5; and Rick Pridgen, District 6. School board races are nonpartisan.
Candidates for the following offices will file at the state Board of Elections office in Raleigh:
* U.S. House of Representatives District 7, now held by Republican David Rouzer.
* District attorney, currently held by Matt Delbridge, Republican.
Filing is June 11 to July 6 for Soil & Water Conservation District supervisor (two members' seats).
For more information, call the Wayne County Board of Elections at 919-731-1411 or visit www.ncsbe.gov/Elections.