Primary Day Arrives

Though many area residents took advantage of early voting at the Fessenden Center in Buxton, May 8 officially marked Primary Day in Dare and Hyde Counties.

Hatteras village residents have an additional reason to head to the ballot box, as the primary includes a special referendum to use already collected tax funds for construction and maintenance of multiuse pathways around the village.

The Pathway Referendum is not a new tax or a tax increase, but it will give the Tax Trustees for the Hatteras Village Community Center District an opportunity to use existing funds for a project that’s outside just maintaining and operating the Hatteras Community Center and other district owned properties – a limitation that was set when the tax district was established in 1981.

As for the primary races, Republicans have the most on the line with a number of primary battles that have already gotten heated over the last several months. These choices include the US House of Representatives District 3 seat, (with primary candidates Walter B. Jones, Phil Law and Scott Dacey), the NC State Senate District 1 seat, (with primary candidates Bob Steinburg and Clark Twiddy), and the NC House of Representatives District 6 seat, (with primary candidates Bobby Hanig and Beverly Boswell.)

In addition, Dare County Republicans will be voting for a republican candidate for two Board of Commissioners seats – the District 2 seat with candidates Ronnie Merrell and Robb Ross, and the At-Large seat with Anne P. Petera and Ed Danko.

Due to the newly restructured Board of Elections voting process, which now runs along party lines, Republicans will also select a general election candidate for the Board of Education District 1 seat, with Frank O. Hester and Rick Casey running.

A sample ballot for the Dare County Republican Primary can be viewed at https://www.darenc.com/home/showdocument?id=4397, while a sample ballot for the Democratic Primary can be viewed at https://www.darenc.com/home/showdocument?id=4348.

Precincts/Polling Places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on election day. A complete list of area precincts can be found at https://www.darenc.com/departments/elections/election-information/find-my-polling-place/election-day-polling-locations.

The Island Free press will post May 8’s primary election results as soon as they are available.