One-Stop voting for the May 8 Primary begins Thursday, April 19.

Those wishing to vote may begin doing so at the Board of Elections offices in Bertie, Gates, Hertford and Northampton counties. Hertford County also offers One-Stop voting at the Murfree Center in Murfreesboro and the Ahoskie Nutrition Center (located in the cafeteria of the old R.L. Vann School). Those two sites will be open weekdays from 12 noon until 6 p.m. on April 23 through May 4; and 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 5.

The early voting will continue through Saturday, May 5.

The Board of Elections offices are open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. except during lunch hours.

Those who are qualified to vote, but missed the registration deadline, may register and vote at the one-stop site.

In addition to the national and state races, as well as a decision defining marriage within the North Carolina Constitution, local voters will cast ballots at the local and district level to decide which candidates move on to the general election in November.

In House District 5, incumbent Annie W. Mobley will face opposition from former Ahoskie Mayor Linda L. Blackburn in the Democratic primary.

In the 27th House District, incumbent Michael H. Wray will also face a primary challenge. Former Scotland Neck Mayor James Mills is seeking the office.

The May Primary ballots will also feature several races at the county level, to include:

Bertie County

Two people are seeking the District 1 seat currently held by Bertie County Board of Commissioners Chairman L.C. Hoggard III in the Democratic Primary. Hoggard will be challenged by Ronald D. Wesson.

The challenge to replace retiring Bertie County Register of Deeds Belinda White will be a two-person race. Assistant Register of Deeds Annie F. Wilson and Evelyn Wilson-Lee will each seek the office as Democrats.

Gates County

In District 4, incumbent Commissioner Henry L. Jordan will be challenged by Gates County Planning Board member Chuck Brothers in the Democratic Primary.

In District 5, incumbent Graham L. Twine has two challengers for the seat. Linda Hofler of Sunbury and Ernest L. Jordan of Hobbsville have each filed for the Democratic nomination.

Hertford County

All three incumbents will seek reelection to their seats on the Hertford County Board of Commissioners and each faces opposition during the Primary.

In District 1, incumbent Howard J. Hunter III will be opposed by Byron Simonds for the Democratic nomination for the seat.

District 2 Commissioner Ronald Gatling is seeking reelection and will be opposed by a pair of candidates. They include retiring Hertford County Register of Deeds Kathleen Wright and Justin Freeman. All are running as Democrats.

William F. “Bill” Mitchell is seeking his second term representing District 3. He will be opposed for the Democratic nomination by former Commissioner Brenda S. Greene and David E. Pope.

The race to replace Wright as Register of Deeds got even heavier during the final days of filing. In addition to Deputy Register of Deeds Elvira Mason Spiers, there are three other candidates running. They include Deborah Morrison, Gilda Stephenson Robertson and Melanie Storey. All four candidates are running as Democrats.

 

Northampton County

There is only one contested race in Northampton County, but it is a field full as 11 candidates are seeking four spots on the county’s school board. Three incumbents filed to retain their seats. They include Lafayette “Lott” Majette, Marjorie Edwards and Erica Smith-Ingram. Incumbent Bill Little did not file.

The other candidates include former board member and school district principal Charles Tyner as well retiring Assistant Superintendent Phil Matthews. Also seeking election are Terrance L. Boone of Gaston, Arnetha Garner of Garysburg, Anthony J. Roberts of Gaston, Becky Turner of Jackson, Janett Vaughan Walker of Conway and Clinton McCray Williams of Garysburg.