Robbinsville – After an 11-week hiatus, potential candidates can resume filing for the 2022 election cycle today.
The pause was forced by an uproar at the state level over long-disputed legislative maps, but the N.C. Supreme Court had already ruled that the moratorium on candidate filing – which originally went into effect Dec. 8, a mere two days after beginning – would start back today, barring issues with the maps. The state General Assembly passed the restructured maps in a late-evening Feb. 17 vote.
Prior to the stall, over 1,600 candidates had filed for the 2022 ballot, at either the local or state level.
At the Feb. 14 Graham County Board of Elections meeting, director Teresa Garland confirmed that the local office – at 18 Court St., next to Robbinsville Town Hall – would be open at 8 a.m. today, per a mandate from the N.C. State Board of Elections. Beginning Friday, the office will be open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for filing until the noon deadline Friday, March 4.
So far, county races are looking to be packed. Here are the candidates who filed prior to the Dec. 8 break:
* Board of Commissioners (all Republicans): Van Adams, Logan Johnson, Jacob Nelms (incumbent), Cassie Phillips, Dale Wiggins (incumbent);
* Clerk of Court: Tammy Holloway (Democrat, incumbent);
* Register of Deeds: Kim Lequire (Republican, incumbent);
* Sheriff (all Republicans): Leon Allen Jr., Dennis Crisp, Jerry Crisp, Russell Moody.
Early voting
The county board of elections also confirmed Feb 14 the start date for one-stop (early) primary voting is 8 a.m. Thursday, April 28. The polls will close at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 14, with the primary election itself taking place Tuesday, May 17.
Garland confirmed to The Graham Star on Friday that two shifts of poll workers would be available for the lengthy weekday voting sessions, which last until 7:30 p.m. On the first two Saturdays, the polls will be open until 1 p.m.
Early voting will be conducted at the Graham County Community Building, 196 Knight St., to ensure COVID-19 protocols are followed.