GATESVILLE – ‘Tis the season….for seeking political office.

Filing for the May 6 Primary is underway statewide. In GatesCounty, two long-time incumbents and a newcomer were among those to file during the opening week.

Nell F. Wiggins will seek another four-year term as Clerk of Superior Court in GatesCounty. Ditto for veteran Gates County Sheriff Ed Webb as he joined Wiggins in filling out the proper paperwork last week.

One race has developed for the Gates County Board of Education. Daniel Lee Dickerson of Gatesville has filed for the seat of current Board of Education Chairman Doug Lilley. Two additional seats on the School Board, currently held by incumbents Glendale Boone (the board’s Vice Chairman) and Leslie Byrum, are also open during this year’s election cycle. As of Monday, neither had filed.

On Monday, Billy Felton became the first to file for Gates County Commissioner. Felton is seeking to solicit the public’s vote for the first time after being appointed last year to fill the unexpired term of former Eure District Commissioner John Hora, who tragically lost his life in an auto accident.

Also on Monday, Joseph Ray Freeman III filed for the Gates District Commissioner’s seat currently held by Kenneth Jernigan. Jernigan, who has served two terms on the Board, has made it clear he will not seek reelection.

The Commission seat of current Vice Chairman Jack Owens (Gatesville District) is also open during this election cycle, but he had not filed as of Monday.

Gates County voters will also see the seat on the District 5 NC House of Representatives contested during the Primary. Three-term incumbent Annie Mobley of Ahoskie has filed for re-election for District 5 – which includes all of Bertie, Gates and Hertford counties and a portion of Pasquotank County. She will face opposition this year from current Hertford County Commissioner Howard Hunter III.  Ironically, Hunter’s father, Howard Hunter, Jr. held the District 5 House seat until his death in 2007 when Mobley succeeded him, first with an appointment then when she ran for her first full term.

Filing ends statewide on Friday, Feb. 28.

The key dates in this election cycle include the Primary on May 6, with runoffs on July 15 if needed and the General Election on Nov. 4.