ELIZABETHTOWN — Five additional candidates filed early this week for seats in the Nov. 7 municipal election in Bladen County, joining nine others who filed on Friday.
Those filing on Monday were:
— Larry Waitus Simmons of Bladenboro, who filed to run for mayor in Bladenboro.
— Kenneth Rodney Hester of Bladenboro, who filed to run for Bladenboro town commissioner.
— James Tim Tart of Clarkton, who filed to run for Clarkton town commissioner.
Those filing on Tuesday were:
— Billy Ray Benson, of Bladenboro, was the lone candidate to file on Tuesday. He filed for re-election to his Bladenboro Town Council seat.
— Along with candidates throwing their hat into the run for the Nov. 7 municipal election for seats across the county, voters in Dublin will also be deciding whether they want malt beverage and unfortified wine available.
After approving a a request for the issue during a March town meeting, the Dublin Town Board sent the request for a resolution to the Bladen County Board if Elections on Tuesday.
The resolution will ask for voter approval or denial to allow on-premises and/or off-premises sale of unfortified, as well as the sale of on-premises and/or off-premises malt beverages.
If passed, Dublin would follow the town of White Lake, which approved the sale of malt beverages and unfortified wine during a ballot resolution in November 2015.
Those filing on Wednesday were:
— Jeff Atkinson of Bladenboro filed for re-ection to his seat with the Bladenboro Town Council.
Candidates for the non-partisan municipal election must file their notice of candidacy with the Bladen County Board of Elections, located at 301 South Cypress St. in Elizabethtown. For information, candidates can call the office at 910-862-6951. Candidates must be at least 21 years old. They also must live and be registered to vote in the electoral district for the office being sought.
The filing period will end on Friday, July 21, at noon.
Voters must be registered 25 days before an election to vote on Election Day. For the Nov. 7 elections, the registration deadline is Oct. 13. Voters may also register and vote during the early voting period using “same-day registration” in places where absentee voting is authorized.