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WINDSOR – A handful of local races in Bertie County will not be included on the ballot for the upcoming primary election because there are not multiple candidates of the same political party running for those seats.

The purpose of a primary election – which will be held in North Carolina on March 5 – is to whittle down the candidates to one per party. The candidates who garner the most votes in the primary will appear on the ballot during the general election to be held in November.

During the primary, voters affiliated with a political party will receive a ballot with candidates for that same party. Unaffiliated voters may choose which party ballot they will receive.

The only local race in Bertie County will be on the Democrat ballot for Board of Commissioners District One. Those candidates include Lewis (L.C.) Hoggard III and Nicole Outlaw.

Local candidates who will only appear on the November general election ballot because they face no opposition in the primary include Vivian B. Saunders (Democrat running for Board of Commissioners District Four), J. Willie Davis Jr. (Republican running for Board of Commissioners District One), and Annie F. Wilson (Democrat running for Register of Deeds).

There remains a window of opportunity for a person, unaffiliated with any state recognized political party, to become a candidate in the General Election. If that individual is seeking a political seat at the county level, they are required to submit a petition no later than March 5 to the board of elections in their county of residence. That petition must contain the signatures of at least 4% of all registered N.C. voters within the county or district, as of January 1 of the election year.

Aside from local races, the primary election will also include a number of regional, statewide, and federal races for voters to choose their preferred candidate.

Those races include Presidential preference, US House of Representatives, NC House of Representatives, NC Senate, Governor, Lt. Governor, NC Attorney General, NC Auditor, NC Commissioner of Agriculture, NC Commissioner of Insurance, NC Commissioner of Labor, NC Secretary of State, NC Superintendent of Public Instruction, NC Treasurer, and District Court Judge seats. Some races may not be included on a particular party’s ballot because the candidates will face no opposition in the primary.

The voter registration deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, February 9. Voters who wish to change their party affiliation must do so before the same deadline.

Eligible individuals who are not already registered by the February 9 deadline can register and vote during the early voting period. New registrants must provide documentation of their residence.

Early voting will begin on Thursday, February 15 and be available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday, March 1. The final day of early voting will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 2.

Those choosing to cast their ballots early can do so at the Bertie County Board of Elections Office, 210 W. Watson Street, Windsor, or Powellsville Town Hall, 106 E. Main Street, Powellsville.

Voters who want to request absentee ballots can do so beginning on Friday, January 19 through Tuesday, February 27. Absentee ballot request forms are available at the Board of Elections office or votebymail.ncsbe.gov

Photo ID is required for voting. Acceptable IDs include the following:

NC driver’s license;

State ID from NCDMV (also called “non-operator ID”);

Driver’s license or non-driver ID from another state, District of Columbia, or US territory (only if voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election);

US passport or US passport card;

NC voter photo ID card issued by a county board of elections;

College or university student ID approved by the State Board of Elections;

State or local government or charter school employee ID approved by the State Board of Elections;

Military or veterans ID card issued by the US government;

Tribal enrollment card issued by a tribe recognized by the state or federal government;

ID card issued by an agency of the US government or the state of North Carolina for a public assistance program

For more information about Voter Photo ID, contact the Bertie County Board of Elections at 252-794-5306 or visit www.ncsbe.gov or www.co.bertie.nc.us/departments/elections/elections.html

All polling places in Bertie County will be open for in-person voting on election day (Tuesday, March 5) from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The general election will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.