DOBSON — The 2016 political process not only is heating up on the national scene, but also locally with the filing period opening today at noon for a variety of local and state elected offices.
In all, candidates this month will be throwing their hats into the ring at the Surry County Board of Elections in Dobson for a total of nine different positions, including both partisan and non-partisan offices.
Included are Mount Airy and East District seats on the Surry Board of Commissioners; the county register of deeds; two seats on the non-partisan Surry County Board of Education, representing Districts 1 and 5; the City and East District slots on the non-partisan Elkin Board of Education; and the state House and Senate seats in the N.C. General Assembly which include Surry County.
The filing deadline is Dec. 21 at noon for all offices except the Elkin school board, for which candidates may file until Aug. 8 at noon.
But even ahead of today’s start of the filing period, some candidates already have indicated their intentions to seek election, or re-election, to certain seats — especially in regard to county government.
“We have received some calls about the filing requirements to run for county commissioner,” county Elections Director Susan Jarrell said Monday.
Primary prompts change
Jarrell pointed out that the period that is getting under way today represents a change from past years, when the filings for county and other offices occurred during February for an even-year election, in this case 2016.
The process was moved to December due to a statewide presidential preference primary being scheduled for March 15.
Jarrell is trying to make potential office-seekers aware of this change who might be accustomed to the later filing schedule. “We certainly don’t want anyone to miss it,” said the elections director, who also announced the fees and other details regarding the filings.
• The cost to run for either the Mount Airy or East District seats on the county board of commissioners is $77. The Mount Airy District seat, now held by Republican and longtime board member Jimmy Miller, covers Mount Airy precincts 1 through 9.
• Meanwhile, the East District, now represented by Republican Paul Johnson, also a county board veteran, includes the Longhill, Pilot 1 and 2, Shoals, Siloam, North Westfield and South Westfield precincts.
• The filing fee for Surry County register of deeds, an office now held by Democrat Carolyn Comer, is $492.
• Those wishing to file for the District 1 seat on the county board of education, now occupied by Brian Moser, will pay $5. That office covers Mount Airy precincts 1-9.
• The same $5 fee applies to the District 5 seat on the Surry school board, now held by Clark Goings, which includes the Bryan and Franklin precincts.
• Candidates for the 30th Senate District in the state Legislature, now served by Republican Shirley Randleman of Wilkes County and covering Surry, Wilkes and Stokes counties, must pay a $207 filing fee.
• That same fee applies to the 90th District House of Representatives seat, presently held by Republican Sarah Stevens of Mount Airy. It includes both Surry County and a portion of Wilkes.
• The City District on the Elkin Board of Education presently is held by Richard Brinegar. That district covers the Elkin No. 1 and 2 precincts, and a portion of Elkin 3.
• Haley Sullivan now represents the East District of the Elkin school board, made up of the Elkin No. 3 precinct outside the town limits east of Interstate 77.
The filing fee for Elkin school board candidates is $5.
Tom Joyce may be reached at 336-415-4693 or on Twitter @Me_Reporter.