November Election Update

The political primaries are over, the conversation continues and the November General Election

is approaching.

One question that is circulating in some areas of the county is, are write-ins legal in the November contest.  The answer, according to Larry Hammond, Bladen County Board of Elections Director, is NO.  According the Hammond, write-ins are not legal except in non-partisan elections. 

The only local non-partisan race scheduled for November will be in the race for Soil and Water Conservation. Christopher White of Clarkton, Earl Storms of Bladenboro and Eugene R. Floyd, Sr of Kelly are candidates for the seat.

There are numerous races to be determined at the local, state and national level.

The most discussed race has Democrat Prentis Benston and W. M. (Billy) Ward (unaffiliated) squaring off for Bladen County Sheriff.  Winner takes all.

Other locally contested races includes a 2 year at-large term on the Bladen County Board of Commissioners. The contestants are former Commissioner James G. (Jimmie) Smith of Elizabethtown and John Morris Britt, Jr.  The seat was vacated due to the death of Margaret Lewis-Moore.  Smith is a Democrat, Britt is a Republican.

Incumbent Charles Ray Peterson (D) is being challenged by Horace Wyatt (R) for a 4 year term to represent District 2.  Wyatt is Mayor of Dublin.

The District Attorney race for District 13 will have Harold G. (Butch) Pope (D), of Whiteville,  running against Jon David (R) of Leland.  The District includes, in addition to Bladen, Columbus and Brunswick counties.  Pope defeated incumbent Rex Gore in the Democratic primary.  David was defeated by Gore, in a close race, 4 years ago.

The race for NC Senate District 19 pits incumbent Margaret Highsmith Dickson (D) against Fayetteville City Councilman Wesley Meredith (R).

William Brisson (D) of Dublin is the incumbent for NC Houst District 22.  He is being challenged by John Szoka (R) of Fayetteville. 

Mike McIntyre (D), of Lumberton, is the incumbent candidate for North Carolina House District 7 seat.  He is being challanged by Ilario Gregory Pantano (R) of Wilmington. 

US Senator Richard Burr (R) of Winston Salem is seeking a second six year term for US Senate.  Secretary of State Elaine Marshall is the Democratic challenger.  Michael Beitler of Oak Ridge is the Libertarian candidate.

There are several candidates for Judge.  All are none partisan.

Robert C.(Bob) Hunter of Marion and Barbara Jackson of Raleigh are candidates for Supreme Court Associate Justice.

In one Court of Appeals race, Ann Marie Calabria of Morrisville is being challenged by Jane Gray of Raleigh.

Rick Elmore is seeking re-election to a Court of Appeals seat.  He is being challenged by Steven Walker of Selma.  Elmore is from Raleigh.

In a third race for Court of Appeals, incumbent Martha Geer of Raleigh is seeking another term.  Her opponent is Dean R. Poirier of Mount Olive.

At the local level, those unopposed include Nike S. Dennis for Clerk of Superior Court; Register of Deeds, Charity Lewis;  Hubert C. Kinlaw, County Coroner; Alan T. West, Mike Cogdell, Roger Carroll, Vinston M. Rozier, Kip Lancaster and Berry Lewis for Board of Educaton.  Russell Priest and Mark Gillespie are unopposed in their bid for the Bladen County Board of Commissioners.  William F. Fairly and Sherry Dew Tyler are unopposed for District Court Judge in District 13.