BOARD OF ELECTIONS
ELIZABETHTOWN – A swearing in of the new Bladen County Board of Election members will take place July 22, 2025 at noon.
According to Wayne Schaeffer, Bladen GOP Chairman, “Consistent with the recent ruling from NC Senate Bill 382 in May, the authority to appoint members of the state election board, as well as members of NC’s 100 county election boards, was shifted from the Governor’s office to the office of the State auditor.
“This shake-up in election board composition became official in June, as local boards flipped from Democrat majority control to Republican control, and State auditor Dave Boliek acted immediately to appoint Republican Chairs to lead them.
“Notably, the shift took appointment power away from Democrat Gov. Josh Stein. Stein sued over the law, but state appellate courts allowed it to go into effect. Historically, it has been the Governor’s party that held the majorities on the state and county boards of election.
“Thus, Boliek’s county appointments significantly, and historically, shifts majority power from a 3-2 Democrat majority to a 3-2 GOP majority. Local boards of election are empowered to determine precinct polling locations, decide on early voting schedules and hours, arrange for the appointment of Chief Judges, Judges, and Poll assistants for the various county precinct voting locations, and to decide whether provisional ballots should be accepted.”
As it stands as of July 3, the new members of the Bladen County Board of Elections will be:
Larry Hammond – Chairman /Rep. Party
Michael Aycock – member /Rep. Party
Emery White – member / Rep. Party
C. Michael Cogdell – member / Democratic Party
Elizabeth Blanks – member / Democratic Party
Municipal Dates:
July 14 Deadline to file petition in lieu of paying filing fee
July 15 Deadline to withdraw notice of candidacy
July 18 candidate filing ends 12 noon
July 22 County Board of Elections meeting: new members take oath of office