Candidate filings to restart on Feb. 24

After being halted more than a month ago, officials have announced that the candidates’ filing period for local, state and federal offices can resume in February.

The filing process originally began on Dec. 6, only to be suspended two days later by the N.C. Supreme Court in response to ongoing lawsuits challenging newly drawn boundaries for legislative districts which alleged partisan gerrymandering.

Local Election Boards received word last week that a final judgement had been issued by Wake County Superior Court in consolidated redistricting cases. The court upheld challenged maps for U.S. House of Representatives, N.C. Senate and N.C. House seats.

The court granted a request by the state Board of Elections to restart candidate filing.

This is to begin at 8 a.m. on Feb. 24 and end at noon on March 4.

There is also a loose thread concerning a separate court order which suspended the consideration of any challenges to candidates for U.S. House, N.C. House and N.C. Senate, until final resolution of the litigation in the redistricting cases known as North Carolina League of Conservation Voters v. Hall.

As part of the suspension repercussions, a primary election initially scheduled for March 8 was moved to May 17.

Several Yadkin candidates, mainly incumbents, had already filed prior to the suspension.

Yadkin County Commissioners Kevin Austin, Gilbert Hemric and Frank Zachary have already filed for reelection as well as incumbent Clerk of Court Beth Holcomb. Incumbent Register of Deeds Aric Wilhelm filed for reelection.

Incumbent Sheriff Ricky Oliver filed for reelection as did challenger Nick Smitherman.

Tim Parks has filed for reelection to the Yadkin Board of Education. There are two additional seats open on the school board. Candidates for school board typically take office the summer prior to the start of a new school year.

No one has yet filed for Coroner.

Four people filed in December for the 36th District state Senate seat: Shirley Randleman of Wilkesboro, who formerly represented Surry County; Eddie Settle of Elkin; Vann Tate, a retired member of the N.C. Highway Patrol who is a Mount Airy resident; and Lee Zachary of Yadkinville.

Filing so far for N.C. House of Representatives District 77 which includes Yadkin County is Republican Julia Howard of Mocksville.