Currently held by Republican Ron Mau, the seat will be wide open in 2020 due to Mau’s decision to run for the N.C. House District 119 seat that Waynesville Democrat Joe Sam Queen now occupies. Democrat Brad Stillwell signed up to run for the seat on the second day of filing, Dec. 3, with Bogardus following suit Dec. 13. No Republicans had signed up to run as of press time Dec. 17. 

Voters will also choose a District 4 representative in 2020, and so far Republican Mark Letson is the only candidate. Incumbent Commissioner Mickey Luker has not replied to questions about his intention to seek re-election, but his candidacy is seen as unlikely due to widespread criticism stemming from his absence at county meetings in recent months. Luker has not attended a county meeting in person since July, though he has often attended via speakerphone. 

Two seats are open on the Jackson County School Board, and so far incumbent Wesley Jamison is the only person to file. The seat currently held by Elizabeth Cooper is up for election as well. The office of Soil and Water Conservation District Officer will be on the 2020 ballot as well, but filing for that contest doesn’t start until June. 

Swain County’s board of commissioners has two seats up for re-election. Incumbents Roger Parsons, a Democrat, and Kenneth Parton, a Republican, have signed up for a second term. Phillip Carson, a Democrat, has also signed up to run for a seat on the board after losing his chairmanship on the board to Ben Bushyhead during the last election. 

The only newcomer to sign up so far has been Republican H. Robert Lowe. Swain commissioner seats are not divided by districts — candidates run at large and the top vote-getters are elected to four-year terms. 

In Macon County, a District 2 seat currently held by Republican Karl Gillespie and District 3 seat held by Republican Paul Higdon are up for election. Gillespie won’t be running for county office since he’s running for state representative, but Higdon has signed up for another term.  

Terry Bradley and Don Willis Jr. both signed up to run for the District 2 seat on the county board, but Willis has since withdrawn his candidacy because of other professional obligations. 

Haywood County didn’t have any new candidates sign up since last week. Two commission seats are up for election — that of Chairman Kevin Ensley and Brandon Rogers. They’ve both filed for re-election, and are joined by two other Republicans, Jennifer Best and Terry Ramey. 

Haywood County Commissioner Mark Pless, a Republican serving his first term in office, has already announced his intention to run for State Representative for District 118. Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Yancey, announced earlier this month she would not be seeking re-election and endorsed Pless as her successor. 

Two Macon County lawyers have thrown their hats into the ring for the 30th District Court Judgeship — Justin Greene has signed up on the Democrat ticket while Rich Cassidy has signed up to run as a Republican. The Republicans are joined in that race by Hayesville attorney Mitch Brewer and Haywood County attorneys Jim Moore and Kaleb Wingate.

Candidates still have until noon on Friday, Dec. 20, to file for office. For more information, contact your local county board of elections office, or visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections at www.ncsbe.gov.