Filing opened Monday for the 2020 election in North Carolina.
As of Tuesday afternoon, just two people have filed for office in Swain County including Republican Mike Clampitt, R-Swain, for the 119 seat in the state house and Mitchell Carson for Swain County School Board.
Due to ongoing litigation, filing for U.S. congressional seats was on hold but has since opened. Last Thursday, a three-panel judge filed an order that North Carolina congressional seat filing be held until they issue a decision as to whether replacement districts drawn by the General Assembly could be used for the 2020 election.
On Tuesday, that decision was released, allowing the latest redrawn congressional maps put forward by the Republican-led General Assembly in mid-November to stand for the 2020 election season.
For the 11th Congressional District, which includes Swain County, it means a change with the addition of Asheville in the district. Previously, the gerrymandered district split out the liberal city of Asheville from Buncombe County.
In October, the panel blocked an old map claiming it amounted to partisan gerrymandering and accepted the redrawn maps from November.
The new 11th district covers all the 17 WNC counties including: Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, Madison, Buncombe, McDowell, Polk, Henderson, Transylvania, Haywood, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Clay, Graham, Cherokee and half of Rutherford County.
Election officials said the congressional primary could be held with other races on March 3 if the final map was in place by Dec. 15.
Candidates for N.C. House, N.C. Senate and local offices file with their respective county board of elections.
Candidates for US Senate, statewide offices, state judicial seats and district and superior court judges and district attorneys must file with the state office.
“The State and County Boards of Elections look forward to working with candidates and voters as we prepare for the important 2020 elections,” said North Carolina Board of Elections Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell in a press release.
At the state level, Democratic Governor Roy Cooper will seek another term. US Republican Senator Thom Tillis will also run.
Republican Congressman Mark Meadows 11th district will vie to retain his seat in the newly drawn district.
Jim Davis, R-50, of Macon County, said he will retire from the state seat that he’s held since 2010. Kevin Corbin, who has served in the House, R-120, also of Macon County, said he will run for the Senate.
Incumbent Democrat Joe Sam Queen, of Haywood County, will again run and be challenged once again by Clampitt, who has faced Queen in the last four elections and won the seat in 2016. Ron Mau, Republican, who currently serves as a Jackson County commissioner, has also filed.
In Swain County, there are two openings on the county commission, three school board of education seats. In addition, there are the nonpartisan soil and water.
Judicial races will also be in 2020.
On county commission, the seats up for election are currently held by Roger Parsons, Democrat, and Kenneth Parton, Republican. The filing fee for the office is $62.73.
On Swain County Board of Education, the seats up for election are currently being held by Mellie Burns, Gerald McKinney and Lambert Wilson.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the incumbents had not filed for 2020. Filing for the non-partisan soil and water will not be until June.
There are currently 9,374 registered voters in the county. By party, those numbers are: 3,389 Democrat; 2,615 Republican; 3,327 un-affiliated; 4 Green; and 39 Libertarian.
Once filed, the deadline to withdraw a notice of candidacy is Dec. 17Filing ends at noon on Friday, Dec. 20.
Primary elections in North Carolina held in May in the past have been moved to Tuesday, March 3 to increase the state’s relevancy in the residential primary. With that in mind, early voting for the primary could begin as soon as February 13. Swain County Board of Elections will have a meeting Friday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. to approve early voting hours. Then, the board will meet again Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. after filing closes. Both meetings are held at the Board of Elections Office on Hwy 19 South and are open to the public.
The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
For updates on those who have filed, visit https://dl.ncsbe.gov/index.html?prefix=Elections/2020/Candidate%20Filing/
For other information, visit the state Board of Elections site at ncsbe.gov.