By Sarah Nagem
After plenty of confusion about district map, Columbus County voters will go to the polls on May 17 for a primary election.
Here are some key points ahead of the election, which will set the state for the general election in November:
- Republican Brenden Jones faces no competition in the primary or general election for District 46 in the N.C. House of Representatives. The district, newly drawn by the state’s GOP lawmakers, includes all of Columbus County and part of Robeson County. Rep. Carson Smith, a Republican who represents part of Columbus County in the N.C. House, will have a new district that only includes Pender County.
- Republican state Sen. Bill Rabon faces no competition to serve District 8, which will include Columbus and Brunswick counties. (Republican Sen. Danny Britt serves Columbus under the existing map.)
- 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.
- Locally, two Democrats are running on the primary ballot for Columbus County sheriff, hoping to replace Republican Jody Greene in the fall.
- Voters will elect a new member to the Columbus County Board of Commissioners, since incumbent Charles McDowell is not running to keep his seat in District 7.
Columbus County has about 36,200 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 party’s ballot to fill out. The county has about 15,344 registered Democrats, 10,100 registered Republicans and 10,700 unaffiliated voters, data shows.
Here’s a list of everyone who is running in the primary in Columbus County:
Columbus County Sheriff
Democrats:
Victor Jacobs, Whiteville
Jason Soles, Whiteville
(No Republican primary)
Columbus County Board of Commissioners (District 01)
Democrats:
Barbara Roseboro Featherson, Whiteville
Jerome McMillian, Fair Bluff (incumbent)
Marcus Norfleet, Chadbourn
(No Republican primary)
Columbus County Board of Commissioners (District 07)
Republicans:
Scott S. Floyd, Whiteville
Ronald Gore, Nakina
Mike Richardson, Nakina
(No Democratic primary)
Whiteville Mayor
Terry Mann
Whiteville City Council (District 01)
Helen Bryan Holden (incumbent)
Vickie Shepherd Pait (incumbent)
Guillaume Slama
John Elbert Thompson III
Whiteville City Council (District 01, unexpired)
Emory Worley
Whiteville City Council (District 02)
Tim Collier
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
N.C. District Court Judge (District 13 Seat 02)
Republicans:
Preston B. Hilton, Leland
Bryan Wilson, Winnabow
(No Democratic primary)
