Bladen County’s registered voters can go to the polls Tuesday, March 3 to select candidates in Democratic and Republican primaries.
Polls at Bladen County’s 17 precincts are scheduled to open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. Voters will be required to show a photo ID, such as a driver’s license, in order to cast a ballot.
In a primary election, voters only vote in races involving the party in which they are registered. Unaffiliated voters can select either a Democratic or Republican ballot. Registered Libertarian or Green Party voters will not have any primary races in which to vote.
A 17-day early voting period ended Saturday, Feb. 28. The number of people who voted early was not available.
The featured Bladen County primary race is for Sheriff. Republican incumbent Jim McVicker is running against Carl Yonge while Democrats will choose between Gary Edwards and Chris Hunt. The winners will advance to the November election and be joined by unaffiliated candidate Ray Marlowe, who collected enough signatures to be placed on the ballot for the general election..
In at least three Bladen primaries, Tuesday’s winner likely will earn a seat because no candidate is running from the opposing party.
In races for the Board of Education, Democrats Gary Rhoda, the incumbent, and Theresa Jacobs are on the ballot with no Republican opposition in District 1. In the District 2 Republican primary, current chairman Mackie Singletary is being challenged by Walter Hester. The winner will not have a Democratic opponent in November.
Republicans Judy Bowen, Joe Allen Jr. and Cameron McGill are running for the District 3 seat on the Board of Commissioners. McGill is the current chairman of the board. There is no Democratic opposition in November.
There also are races for Congressional representatives, state legislature and state and district courts on the ballot.
Here are the 17 precinct voting sites in Bladen County. Unlike early voting, election day voters are required to vote in their precinct on record.
• Abbotts: Todd Building, 13655 Twisted Hickory Rd., Bladenboro
• Bethel: Dublin Community Center, 120 Second St., Dublin
• Bladenboro No. 1: Historical Building, 818 South Main St., Bladenboro
• Bladenboro No. 2: Old Spaulding-Monroe School, 508 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Bladenboro
• Brown Marsh: Town Hall, 81 North Elm St. Clarkton
• Carvers Creek: East Arcadia School, 21451 NC 87 East, Riegelwood
• Central: Jones Lake State Park, 4117 NC 242 North, Elizabethtown
• Colly: White Lake Fire Department, 1861 White Lake Dr., White Lake
• Cypress Creek: Hickory Grove Fire Dept., 132 NC 210 West, Garland
• Elizabethtown No. 1: National Guard Armory, 1001 West Swanzy St., Elizabethtown
• Elizabethtown No. 2: Powell-Melvin Ag Service Center, 450 Smith Circle, Elizabethtown
• Frenches Creek: Kelly Fire Dept., 18628 NC 53 East, Kelly
• Hollow: Rescue Squad Building, 14871 NC 87 West, Tar Heel
• Lake Creek: Bay Tree Fire Dept., 12717 NC 41 East, Harrells
• Turnbull: Ammon Community Building, 120 Ammon Community Center Rd., Garland
• White Oak: Ruritan Building, 9579 NC 53 West, White Oak
• Whites Creek: Lisbon Fire Dept., 2585 White Plains Church Rd., Clarkton
Sonny Jones can be reached at [email protected].