Races in all four school board seats

Primary elections will be necessary in both the Democrat and Republican races for the Polk County Board of Commissioners as four candidates from each party filed for three open seats.

Filing for this year’s election ended Friday, Feb. 28 at noon with Shane Bradley (R) being the last candidate to file for commissioner. Bradley joins incumbents Ted Owens (R) and Keith Holbert (R) as well as newcomer Jake Johnson (R) as Republican candidates. Democrats will also need a primary to narrow candidates to three nominees as incumbent Ray Gasperson (D) filed as well as newcomers Bill Ingham, Lee Mink (D) and Kenneth Brady (D).

The primary election is scheduled for May 6, where registered Republicans and Democrats will vote in each party for three candidates out of four who filed. Voters who are registered unaffiliated can choose which party ticket they want to vote.

There will also be several races this year in Polk County including for the office of sheriff and school board members.

Polk County Sheriff Donald Hill (D) is being challenged this year by Pat Staggs (R).

For the Polk County School Board, there will be races in each of the four townships up for re-election.

Incumbent Geoffrey Tennant is being challenged by T. Paul Beiler for the Columbus Township seat; incumbent Sherry Page is being challenged by Jeff Weaver for the Green Creek Township seat; incumbent Judy Jackson is being challenged by Kevin Seay for the Coopers Gap Township seat and Patrick D. Overholt and Jim Patterson are running for the Tryon Township seat, currently held by James Cowan who did not seek re-election this year.

Also up for re-election this year is Polk County Clerk of Superior Court Pam Hyder (D), who is unchallenged.

Other offices up for re-election this year include for U.S. Congress 10th state senate, 113 state house, 29-B district attorney, supreme court chief justice, supreme court associate justice, court of appeals, 29-B superior court judge and two seats on the Polk Soil and Water Conservation District, with filing for the soil and water scheduled for June 9-July 7.

For information on this year’s election visit polknc.org under the board of elections department icon or call 828-894-8181.

This year’s election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4.