Candidates sign up to run for office
With the sign-up period now underway, candidate are throwing their names in the hat to run for various local and state offices.
The candidate sign-up period started Monday, Feb. 12, and ends Wednesday, Feb. 28. Until it’s over, there will be plenty of uncertainty and speculation regarding who might run in the May 8 Primary Election.
Jackson County
Election filing is off to a slow start in Jackson County, with only six people signing up to run for one of nine open offices in the first day of the sign-up period.
The 2018 elections will determine three of five seats on both the Jackson County Board of Commissioners and the Jackson County Board of Education, as well as the sheriff, register of deeds, clerk of superior court and a handful of regional offices.
None of the three incumbent commissioners up for election had filed as of press time Tuesday, but one challenger did — Democrat Gayle Woody, who will run for the seat currently held by Republican Charles Elders.
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Sheriff Chip Hall, a Democrat, will seek re-election, as will Ken Henke, chairman of the non-partisan school board. Joe Hamilton, a Democrat, will seek re-election to his seat as the Jackson County Register of Deeds.
While Elizabeth Melton has filed for re-election as the Jackson County Clerk of Superior Court, she will see a Primary Election challenge from her fellow Democrat Kim Coggins Poteet.
Of the five people who had filed for partisan office in Jackson County as of press time, all were Democrats.
Haywood County
In Haywood County, five candidates have signed up to run for three open seats on the board of commissioners. Incumbents Mike Sorrells and Kirk Kirkpatrick, both Waynesville Democrats, are running to reclaim their seats and will be challenged by Waynesville Democrats Danny Davis and Steven Pless, and Canton Republican Thomas Long. Incumbent Bill Upton has not indicated his intent to run for another term.
Hunter Plemmons, who was recently appointed to the position of Clerk of Superior Court to replace June Ray, is the only one signed up so far to run for the seat.
Haywood County Register of Deeds Sherri Rogers, D-Waynesville, will be running for another term, but doesn’t have a challenger yet.
Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher, D-Clyde, has signed up to run for a second term.
Haywood County Tax Collector Mike Matthews hasn’t officially filed the paperwork, but indicated he did plan to run for another term. If he does sign up to run, he will face challengers Greg West, D-Waynesville, and Andrew “Tubby” Ferguson, R-Waynesville.
Macon County
All three county commissioner incumbents in Macon — Robbie Beale, D-Franklin, Gary Shields, R-Franklin, and Jim Tate, R-Highlands — have all signed up to run for another four-year term on the board. As of Tuesday at press time, no challengers had signed up to run against them.
Sheriff Robert Holland, R-Franklin, has signed up to run and will be challenged by Bryan Carpenter. Carpenter petitioned to run as an unaffiliated candidate, which means he must obtain signatures from 4 percent — or 1,018 registered voters in Macon — to be able to run against the sitting sheriff.
Incumbents for Register of Deeds Todd Raby and Clerk of Court Vic Perry don’t yet have any challengers.
Swain County
Democratic incumbent commissioners Danny Burns and Ben Bushyhead are up for re-election but neither had filed to run again as of Feb. 13.
Democrat Commissioner Roger Parsons, who was appointed last year to fill the vacancy left after the passing of Commissioner David Monteith, will officially run to fill the remainder of Monteith’s four-year term.
Kevin Seagle, who works in the Swain County building inspections department, has also signed up to run for commissioner.
Commission Chairman Phil Carson has signed up to run for another term as chairman and didn’t have any challengers as of Feb. 13.
Swain’s incumbent Republican Sheriff Curtis Cochran will have competition this year. Democrat Rocky Sampson has signed up to run against him.
Democrat Misti Watson Jones is running for clerk of court and Democrat Diana Williamson Kirkland is running for register of deeds.
State races
U.S. House of Representatives District 11
- Phillip Price, D-Nebo
NC House of Representatives District 118
- (i) Michele Presnell, R-Burnsville
- Rhonda Schandevel, D-Canton
NC House of Representatives District 119
- Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville
