Democratic primary needed for board of commissioners
Polk County residents have until noon today to file for 2012 elections.
The most recent candidates to file locally have been Ritchie L. “Bubba” Greene (D) and Emily Hyder Bartlett (D) for Polk commissioner; Rhonda Early for the Polk school board for the Saluda Township; incumbent Cindy Allen for the White Oak Township of the Polk school board and Phil Feagan (D) for the 47th N.C. Senate District seat.
Seats are open this year for the Polk County Board of Commissioners, the school board, Polk County Clerk of Superior Court, Polk County Register of Deeds, N.C. Senate District 47 and N.C. House of Representatives District 113.
On the first day of filing, Feb. 13, Rick Covil filed to keep his seat representing Tryon Township on the Polk County school board, incumbent county commissioners Tom Pack (R) and Renée McDermott (D) filed to keep their seats and commissioner challengers Michael Gage (R), Keith Holbert (R) and Russell Meirop (D) also filed. Also filing on the first day were incumbent Polk County Register of Deeds Sheila Whitmire (R) and Pam Hyder (D) and Marche Pittman (R) for Polk County Clerk of Superior Court.
No challengers had filed as of Tuesday morning, Feb. 28 for the Polk County Board of Education seats, with seats open in Saluda, Tryon and White Oak townships.
At least a Democratic primary will be needed for the Polk County Board of Commissioners. The primary election will be held on May 8.
The seat of the Polk County Clerk of Superior Court is currently held by Hyder (D). Hyder was appointed last year to fill the unexpired term of former clerk Charlene Owens, who retired. Whoever is elected this year to the clerk position will serve the remainder of Owens’ term until 2014 and can run again for a four-year term in 2014.
The register of deeds will serve a four-year term and the top two vote-getters for commissioner will serve four-year terms with the other winner serving a two-year term.
Feagan filed as a candidate for the N.C. Senate District 47 seat, which is currently held by Ralph Hise Jr. (R). The N.C. House of Representatives District 113 seat is currently held by Trudi Walend (R), who was appointed to fill the unexpired term of David Guice after his resignation last year to take the director’s position of the community corrections division of the new state department of public safety.
The N.C. House and Senate seats are elected for two-year terms.
Any interested residents who wish to file have until noon today, Wednesday, Feb. 29 to file. Filing can be done at the Polk County Board of Elections Office located on the second floor of the Womack building in Columbus.