Early voting is set to begin Thursday morning in Bladen County. In addition to the county commissioners races and the Board of Education races, voters will also be asked to decide on a quarter-cent sales tax referendum that will be used to fund EMS equipment and personnel.
There will be four One Stop polling locations in Bladen County that will operate from Oct. 20 through Nov. 5, but with different time schedules.
The One Stop voting schedule at the Bladen County Public Library located at 111 S. Cypress Street in Elizabethtown is Thursday, Oct. 20, and Friday, Oct. 21, from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 24, through Friday, Oct. 28, from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and Monday, Oct. 31 through Friday, Nov. 4, from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The State Board of Elections did adjust the schedules for the other three One Stop locations. Three other One Stop that will be operating in Bladen County will be the Dublin Lions Club Building in Dublin, East Arcadia Town Hall, and the Bladenboro Historical Society Building. These locations will operate on the following schedule: Thursday, Oct. 20, and Friday, Oct. 21, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 24, through Friday, Oct. 28, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and Monday, Oct. 31 through Friday, Nov. 4, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The One Stop sites will not be open on Sundays.
Some local races will see candidates facing opposition. Seeking election to the three Bladen County Commissioners Countywide seats are Republicans Billy Ray Britt and David Gooden and Democratic candidate Pam Benton and Libertarian candidate Randy Crow. They are joined by incumbent Commissioners G. Michael Cogdell, James “Jimmie” Smith.
Bladen County Commissioner District 3 race features Republican candidate Ashley S. Trivette facing off against Democratic candidate Ken Register Jr.
The Bladen County Board of Education District 3 race features incumbent candidate Bonnell Walker facing competition from Christopher Clark who is unaffiliated.
Running unopposed are:
*Democratic candidate Ophelia Munn-Goins for Bladen County Commissioner District 1;
*Incumbent Daniel Dowless for Bladen County Commissioner District 2;
*Democratic candidate Glenn McKoy for Bladen County Board of Education District 1;
*Democratic candidate Berry Lewis for Bladen County Commissioner District 2.
Other races of interest to Bladen residents include North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory who will opposition from Democratic candidate Roy Cooper and Libertarian candidate Lon Cecil.
In the US House of Representatives District 7 race, incumbent Republican David Rouzer will face opposition from Democratic candidate J. Wesley Casteen. In the US House District 9 race, incumbent Republican Robert Pittenger will face opposition from Democratic candidate Christian Cano.
In the US Senate race, incumbent Republican Richard Burr faces opposition from Democratic candidate Deborah Ross and Libertarian candidate Sean Hough.
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