Two new candidates file petitions
By COBY LaRUE
Staff
Two candidates for county office have filed petitions to be placed on the ballot this fall.
Gleason James, a retired local businessman, is seeking to run as a county commission candidate. Meanwhile Doris Tolliver, who owns Sparta Exxon, is seeking to run for the office of register of deeds.
Director of Elections Kate Cosner said Monday that both had unofficially surpassed the 268-signature requirement to be placed on the ballot as an unaffiliated candidate. The signatures were slated to be submitted to the Alleghany Board of Elections and the petitions voted upon Tuesday night.
Cosner said in order to run as an unaffiliated candidate, a resident must not be registered with any major political party. However, any registered voter may sign the petition to allow that person a spot on the ballot.
The 268-signature requirement represents four percent of Alleghany County's registered voters, Cosner said. Those seeking to run for regional or statewide office are required to garner four percent of the registered voter's signatures in the district or state in order to be placed on the ballot, Cosner pointed out. Those who do qualify to be on the ballot are responsible for paying the filing fee for the seat they seek.
The deadline for unaffiliated candidates to have their signatures turned in to the local elections office is June 27 at noon.
For more information, call the elections office at 372-4557.
Soil and Water
The Soil and Water filing period began on Monday (June 9) and will end at noon on July 7. The filing fee is $5 and there is one seat open.
Bobby Evans, a dairy farmer who operates a farm in the Vox community with his brother Alvin, currently holds that seat. As of Monday, no one registered to seek election to that seat, Cosner said.
Evans indicated at a recent Soil and Water Board meeting that he was planning to file for re-election.
Libertarian Party
The Libertarian Party is once again an official party in the state of North Carolina after a successful signature drive in May, Cosner said. The State Board of Elections officially certified the party on May 22.
Voters who choose to do so can now be registered Libertarian. Alleghany traditionally had fewer than 10 Libertarians registered.
Cosner said Monday no one has yet come forward to registered as Libertarian in Alleghany. She noted that the state is currently updating the county's database to allow the change to occur in computers statewide.
Meanwhile, the state Libertarian Party sent out comments about the move.
"This was our eighth ballot access drive. Without a doubt, it was the most nerve-racking and exhausting one we've conducted," said Barbara Howe, state chair. "We are now back on the ballot, but we are out of funds, so we have no money to support candidates."
Nevertheless, the Libertarians will field a slate of candidates in November, she said. At their 2008 convention in Burlington held in April, the party nominated Dr. Michael Munger, chair of the Duke University political science department, for governor.
Libertarians have until July 1 to submit a complete list of candidates to the SBOE, Howe noted.
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