LAURINBURG — With a new, earlier date for North Carolina’s 2016 primary election, candidates looking to be on ballots come March can begin filing today.
The filing period for all 2016 candidates begins at noon today and concludes at noon on Dec. 21. Candidates can file in Scotland County at the Board of Elections at at the County Annex Building, 231 East Cronly St., Suite 305, Laurinburg.
The filing period has been moved up because of a decision to hold the North Carolina presidential primary on March 15. It is typically held in May.
The move is intended to boost North Carolina voters’ influence on selecting party nominees and to draw campaigning candidates to the state. Critics of the change say the earlier date favors incumbents and will force challengers to get their campaigns — and funding — together on a shortened time-line.
In September, Gov. Pat McCrory signed a law moving all 2016 primaries for federal, state and county offices to March 15 in order to reduce confusion and save on the costs of holding multiple primaries. A $2 billion bond referendum is also expected on ballots that day.
One-stop voting ahead of the March 15 election will be held March 3 through March 12.
The following seats will be on Scotland County ballots in March. All filing fees are 1 percent of the pay for the position.
Scotland County:
— District Attorney for North Carolina’s 16A, held by Kristy Newton. Filing fee, $1,193.
— Register of Deeds, held by Page Pratt. Filing fee, $535.
— Board of Commissioners: Laurel Hill commissioner John Alford; Williamson commissioner Bob Davis; at-large commissioner Whit Gibson, and Stewartsville commissioner Clarence McPhatte. Filing fee is $63.
— Board of Education: Stewartsville members Jeff Byrd, Wayne Cromartie, and Pat Gates along with at-large member Charles Brown. Filing fee, $10.
State:
— Governor, held by Pat McCrory; four-year term. Filing fee, $1,424.
— Lieutenant Governor, held by Dan Forest, four-year term. Filing fee, $1,257.
— Attorney General, held by Roy Cooper, four-year term. Filing fee, $1,257.
— N.C. Senate District 25, currently held by Tom McInnis; two-year term. Filing fee, $207.
— N.C. House of Representatives 66th District, held by Ken Goodman; two-year term. Filing fee, $207.
— N.C. House of Representatives 48th District, held by Garland Pierce; two-year term. Filing fee, $207.
— Auditor, held by Beth Wood, four-year term. Filing fee, $1,257.
— Commissioner of Agriculture, held by Steve Troxler, four-year term. Filing fee, $1,257.
— Commissioner of Insurance, held by Wayne Goodwin, four-year term. Filing fee, $1,257.
— Commissioner of Labor, held by Cherie Berry, four-year term. Filing fee, $1,257.
— Secretary of State, held by Elaine Marshall, four-year term. Filing fee, $1,257.
— Superintendent of Public Instruction, held by June Atkinson, four-year term. Filing fee, $1,257.
— Treasurer, held by Janet Cowell, four-year term. Filing fee, $1,257.
Judicial:
District Court judges Richard Brown, Michael Stone, Lisa Thacker, Tanya Wallace, and Amanda Wilson and N.C. Court of Appeals judges Richard Dietz, Robert N. Hunter, Jr., Linda Stephens, and Valerie Zachary. Filing for those seats will be held at the N.C. State Board of Elections in Raleigh.
Federal:
— 8th Congressional District, held by Richard Hudson; two-year-term. Filing fee, $1,740.
— U.S. Senate, one seat, held by Richard Burr, six-year term. Filing fee, $1,740.
For information about filing or any other election issue, call the Board of Elections at 910-.