By Sarah Nagem
When Bladen County voters go to the polls for the primary election on May 17, they will choose who they want to run next fall for everything from the U.S. Senate to the local school board.
New maps drawn by North Carolina’s Republican lawmakers for legislative and congressional districts led to complaints and lawsuits, but boundaries are now set for the primary.
In Bladen County, there are a few races to watch:
- Republican Sheriff Jim McVicker faces a challenge in the primary, and two Democrats are also vying for a seat in the general election ballot in November.
- Incumbents on the county commission board and the school board also face primary challengers.
- In the N.C. House of Representatives, Republican William Brisson faces no primary challenge to represent Bladen and Sampson counties. No Democrats filed for the seat, which means Brisson will serve another term in office.
- Statewide, a very crowded field of candidates is running for the U.S. Senate, including former N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory and U.S. House member Ted Budd, both Republicans, and Democrat Cheri Beasley, former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Incumbent Sen. Richard Burr, a Republican, is not seeking re-election.
Bladen County has about 22,000 registered voters, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections.
In primary elections, voters must fill out a ballot associated with their registered political party. Unaffiliated voters can choose which ballot to fill out. The county has about 9,700 registered Democrats and about 5,100 Republicans, data shows. About 7,000 voters in the county are not affiliated with a political party.
Here’s a list of everyone who is running in the primary in Bladen:
Bladen County Sheriff
Democrats:
Guy W. Childress, Bladenboro
Hakeem Brown, Council
Republicans:
Gary S. Edwards, Bladenboro
Jim McVicker, Tar Heel (incumbent)
Bladen County Board of Commissioners (District 02)
Republicans:
Charles Ray Peterson, Bladenboro (incumbent)
Dawson Singletary, Bladen
(No Democratic primary)
Bladen County Board of Education (county-wide)
Democrats:
Harfel Davis, Elizabethtown
Vince Rozier, Tar Heel Democrat
Cory Singletary, Clarkton (incumbent)
Sophia Brixey, Bladenboro
(No Republican primary)
Bladen County Board of Education (District 02)
Republicans:
Ben Lee, Bladenboro
Berry Lewis, Bladenboro
Mackie Singletary, Bladenboro
(No Democratic primary)
Bladen County Clerk of Superior Court
Republicans:
Cristin Hursey, Dublin
Jason Britt, Bladenboro
(No Democratic primary)
U.S. House (District 7)
Democrats:
Charles E. Evans, Fayetteville
Charles Graham, Lumberton
Yushonda Midgette, Winnabow
Steve Miller, Wilmington
Republicans:
David Rouzer, Wilmington (incumbent)
Max Southworth-Beckwith, Currie
U.S. Senate
Democrats:
James L. Carr, Jr., Harrisburg
Robert Colon, Wallace
Alyssia Rose-Katherine Hammond, Raleigh
Constance (Lov) Johnson, Charlotte
Tobias LaGrone, Greensboro
B. K. Maginnis, Charlotte
Rett Newton, Beaufort
Marcus W. Williams, Lumberton
Greg Antoine, Fayetteville
Cheri Beasley, Raleigh
Chrelle Booker, Tryon
Republicans:
Marjorie K. Eastman, Cary
David Flaherty, Cameron
Benjamin E. Griffiths,
Kenneth Harper, Jr., Archdale
Pat McCrory, Charlotte
Charles Kenneth Moss, Randleman
Lichia Sibhatu, Raleigh
Debora Tshiovo, Moravian Falls
Mark Walker, Summerfield
Jen Banwart, Fuquay-Varina
Ms. Lee A. Brian, Clayton
Leonard L. Bryant, Fayetteville
Ted Budd, Advance
Drew Bulecza, Lincolnton
N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 05)
Republicans:
Victoria E. Prince, Greensboro
April C. Wood, Lexington
Trey Allen, Hillsborough
(No Democratic primary)
N.C. Court of Appeals (Seat 09)
Republicans:
Beth Freshwater Smith, Wilson
Donna Stroud, Garner
(No Democratic primary)
N.C. Court of Appeals (Seat 11)
Republicans:
Michael J. Stading, Charlotte
Charlton L. Allen, Mooresville
(No Democratic primary)
N.C. District Court Judge (District 13 Seat 02)
Republicans:
Preston B. Hilton, Leland
Bryan Wilson, Winnabow
(No Democratic primary)
