Tag Archive for: #vancecountyboardofelections

Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott Files For N.C. House District 32 Seat

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Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott filed Thursday to run for the N.C. State House.

Elliott confirmed with WIZS News that she filed as a Democrat; at present, she is the lone Democrat filer for the District 32 House seat.

“We’ve still got another day,” Elliott said in an interview late Thursday afternoon. “I’ve heard another candidate may be coming out of Oxford.” Individuals have until 12 noon tomorrow – Friday, Dec. 19 – to file for the March 2026 primary.

“I’m excited,” Elliott said, to announce her candidacy. “I’m going to run a clean race, in spite of all the dirty things they’ve said about me. I’m just going to be Melissa Elliott, and I feel like all of this was training for me to have super, super thick skin so no matter what people say, I can still fight for people that don’t necessarily fight for me.”

She described herself as an advocate for people, having worked “tirelessly” for 18 years in the local community. And she’s been thinking about running for a higher office for some time.

“Honestly, I started thinking about it the day I won the mayor’s seat,” Elliott said. “Because I know that at the end of the day, I’m going to have a wider reach. I’m policy driven. I know I don’t have a vote here and may not have a lot of pull once I get there, but I think you work your way up the ladder.”

She credits her resiliency and her love for people and for Vance County as reasons she decided to run.

“I believe I can do a great job on the state level.  I’ve been thinking about it for two years. I got sidetracked or derailed with all of the public scrutiny and then I said to myself, ‘you’ve never let anybody or anything stop you before,’” so she decided to make her move.

“I want to make a difference,” she explained. “If I can’t do it here, then maybe I can do it there. I’m trying. I’m definitely trying.”

So far, two candidates have filed for the Republican primary for the District 32 seat – Frank Sossamon and Pamela Michele Ayscue. The primary election takes place on Mar. 3, 2026.

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No Candidates So Far Filed For District 7 Board Of Education Seat

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UPDATE Dec. 17, 2025 — information courtesy of Vance County Board of Elections Director Haley Rawles

The filing period for the March 2026 primary election wraps up at 12 noon on Friday, Dec. 19, and so far, there are no candidates who have filed for the District 7 seat on the Vance County Board of Education.

“At this time, no candidate has come forward to file for the Vance County Board of Education, District 7. Individuals interested in filing for this seat must do so no later than Friday, December 19, 2025, at 12:00 noon,” according to information from Vance County Board of Elections Director Haley Rawles.

“This Board of Education race is a partisan contest. Should no candidate file during the standard filing period, the remaining option for ballot access for the 2026 General Election would be through an unaffiliated candidate petition,” Rawles said in a statement Wednesday.

The deadline to submit an unaffiliated candidate petition is the day of the primary election, which is Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2026. The petition’s signature sheets must be submitted to the Board of Elections for verification, and petitions must be filed by the stated deadline in accordance with state law.

If no candidate files through the available filing method prior to the General Election, legal counsel will need to be consulted to determine next steps.

 

Filing Period Opens For March 2026 Primary

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— Information courtesy of the Vance County Board of Elections

The filing period for the Mar. 3, 2026 primary began at 12 noon today and concludes at 12 noon on Friday, Dec. 19.

According to information from Vance County Board of Elections Deputy Director Shelly Wood, the following individuals have filed:

 

Curtis Brame – Vance County Sheriff

 

Amanda Burnette – Vance County Clerk of Superior Court

 

Eric Burwell – Vance County Clerk of Superior Court

 

Cassandra D. Neal – Vance County Register of Deeds

 

Kelley Wade Perdue – Vance County Board of Commissioners-District 4

 

 

 

 

TownTalk: Filing Period Opens Dec. 1 For March 2026 Primary

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The filing period for the March 3, 2026 primary begins in one week.

The filing period begins at 12 noon on Monday, Dec. 1 and ends at 12 noon on Friday, Dec. 19. In Vance County, candidates may file to run for sheriff, as well as seats on the board of commissioners and the board of elections, register of deeds and clerk of court.

The March primary is a lead-in to the November mid-term elections.

Candidates for the local offices must file in person at the Vance County Board of Elections and pay the associated filing fees in full, either by check or money order. The filing fee constitutes 1 percent of the base annual salary for the position.

Fees range from $72 for seats on the board of education to $1,275.09 for sheriff.

The three seats on the Vance County Board of Commissioners are districts 3,4 and 7, currently held by Charisse Fain, Dan Brummitt and Tommy Hester, respectively.

Hester, most recently elected in 2010, has said previously that he would not seek re-election; Fain was appointed in February 2025 to fill the seat vacated by Sean Alston, who resigned his seat after taking job as a magistrate in Warren County.

Brummitt was elected in 2006.

The seats on the Vance County Board of Education that will be included in the upcoming primary are those in districts 1,2,6 and 7.

Those seats are currently held by Gloria Jefferson White, Randy Oxendine, Omega Perry and Ruth Hartness, respectively.

Clerk of Superior Court the Hon. Henry Gupton is retiring at the end of the calendar year – there’s a retirement celebration scheduled for mid-December – and Judge John Dunlow will appoint an individual to fill Gupton’s unexpired term.

Cassandra Neal is the current register of deeds in Vance County. Neal ran unopposed in the 2022 election.

Learn more at https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/

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TownTalk: Gill Wins Ward 4, Henderson City Council Seats Come December

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As a result of Tuesday’s runoff election for the Ward 4 seat on the Henderson City Council, Catherine “Kitty” Gill will join fellow newcomer Kenia Gomez-Jimenez and two incumbents to be sworn in at the City Council’s December meeting.

Gill beat incumbent Ola Thorpe-Cooper to take the seat.

Gomez-Jimenez beat incumbent Ward 1 at-large Council member Sara Coffey in the Oct. 7 election. Incumbents Garry Daeke (Ward 3) and Lamont Noel (Ward 2 at-large) also won their contests in the Oct. 7 election.

Gill led Thorpe-Cooper by 12 votes in the Oct. 7 election, prompting a runoff on Nov. 4. The unofficial tally was 132 to 84 in Gill’s favor. County elections officials will convene on Nov. 14 to certify the results of the Nov. 4 elections, which also included contests for mayors and council members in Kittrell and Middleburg.

Following the December installation, the Henderson City Council makeup is as follows:

  • Ward 1 – Geraldine Champion
  • Ward 1 at-large – Kenia Gomez-Jimenez

 

  • Ward 2 – Sam Seifert
  • Ward 2 at-large – Lamont Noel

 

  • Ward 3 – Garry Daeke
  • Ward 3 at-large – Michael Venable

 

  • Ward 4 – Catherine “Kitty” Gill
  • Ward 4 at-large – Tami Walker

 

The council members serve four-year staggered terms and the mayor serves a four-year term.

In the 2027 municipal elections, Henderson voters will vote for mayor, as well as Wards 1 and 2 aldermen, and Wards 3 and 4 at-large aldermen.

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Challenger Gill Overtakes Incumbent Thorpe-Cooper In Runoff To Win Ward 4 Seat On Henderson City Council

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It took two tries, but it appears that Catherine “Kitty” Gill  has defeated incumbent Ola Thorpe-Cooper to win the Ward 4 seat on the Henderson City Council.

Thorpe-Cooper trailed the challenger Gill after the Oct. 7 election, and a runoff was declared.

Gill got 132 votes – accounting for 61.11 percent – to 84 – 38.89 percent for Thorpe-Cooper.

The final tally was released by the Vance County Board of Elections just about one hour after the polls closed at 7:30 p.m.

A total of 262 Ward 4 voters cast ballots in the runoff, accounting for just under 12 percent of the 2,237 eligible voters. Unofficial counts by precinct showed that Central Henderson had the most voters turn out – 105 for Gill and 75 for Thorpe-Cooper. The Sandy Creek precinct had 7 votes for Gill and 4 for Thorpe-Cooper; South Henderson voters cast 20 votes for Gill and 5 for Thorpe-Cooper. Not a single voter in the Northern Vance precinct cast a vote.

In other municipal elections in the county, Kittrell Mayor Gene Pulley ran unopposed and earned another term. Pulley received 23 votes of 26 total votes cast; there were three write-in votes.

Kittrell Town Commissioners – all incumbents – were re-elected as well. Mary Jo Floyd got 22 votes, Susan Pulley got 23 votes and Robert B. Tunstall got 20 votes.

In Middleburg, incumbent Mayor Ray Bullock, running unopposed, got 18 votes out of 18 total votes cast. Incumbent Council members Hazel A. Baskett got 13 votes, Shirley H. Bullock got 18 and Mamie Turner got 14 votes.

The returns are unofficial until the Nov. 14 canvass, when the results will be finalized beginning at 11 a.m.

In-Person Early Voting For Henderson’s Ward 4 Runoff Begins Thursday, Oct. 16; Election Day Is Nov. 4

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In-person early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 16, in the runoff election for Henderson City Council Ward 4 seat. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, when the towns of Kittrell and Middleburg also will hold municipal elections.

Only voters who reside in Henderson’s Ward 4 are eligible to cast ballots in the runoff between incumbent Ola Thorpe-Cooper and challenger Catherine “Kitty” Gill.

Early voting will be held at the former Eaton Johnson Middle School, 500 N. Beckford Dr.,  from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Thursday, Oct.16, and subsequent weekdays through Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Ward 4 residents who vote on Nov. 4 should cast ballots at their polling precincts which include Sandy Creek, Central, Northern Vance (campus of Vance County Middle School) and South Henderson. These four precincts are the only sites that will be open on Nov. 4, Rawles said.

Polling sites across the county will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Vance County Board of Elections Chair Susan Floyd reminds voters that they will be asked to show a photo ID before casting their ballot. All voters will be allowed to vote with or without ID. Voters who lack ID can get one for free from their county board of elections. Find out more at https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id

Voters can find out if they’re eligible to vote in 2025 by going to the State Board’s Voter Search tool, available at ncsbe.gov.

Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters who have requested them. A voter can fill out an absentee ballot request at https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail or by filling out a request form provided by the board of elections office, located in the Henry A. Dennis Building, 300 S. Garnett St.

The request must be received through the website or by the Vance County Board of Elections.

Although the voter registration deadline for this election has passed, eligible individuals who were not registered by the Oct. 10 deadline may register and vote at any early voting site during the early voting period. New registrants will be required to provide documentation of their residence.

If you have questions, please contact the Vance County Board of Elections at 252.492.3730.

Henderson Municipal Elections Results

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A political newcomer appears to have secured a spot on the Henderson City Council as Kenia Gómez-Jimenez got more than 55 percent of the vote for the Ward 1 at-large seat, besting incumbent Sara Coffey in Tuesday’s nonpartisan municipal election.

Gómez-Jimenez got 911 votes, compared to 174 for Coffey and 525 for challenger Geraldine Champion. Clementine “Tina” Hunter got 35 votes.

The Ward 1 at-large seat was one of four contested seats on the Henderson City Council that were up for grabs in Tuesday’s election. Ward 4 incumbent Ola Thorpe-Cooper told WIZS Tuesday night that she will call for a runoff. She is 12 votes behind challenger Catherine “Kitty” Gill.

Gill received 117 votes to Thorpe-Cooper’s 105 votes. Fred Robertson got 65 votes in the Ward 4 contest and there were two write-in votes.

“Most definite I will ask for a runoff,” Thorpe-Cooper told WIZS Tuesday evening.

The other contests weren’t as close, with incumbents Garry Daeke and Lamont Noel getting more votes in their respective races.

Noel, the Ward 2 at-large incumbent, had 1,153 votes – just over 70 percent – to challenger George Mayo’s 459 votes, just shy of 28 percent.

Ward 3 Council Member Daeke got 224 votes – 62.57 percent of the vote – to challenger Deryl vonWilliams’s 99 votes, which represents 27.65 percent of the total votes. Other challengers in the Ward 3 contests were Jason Spriggs (24 votes) and Clifford High (10 votes). There was one write-in vote.

Of Henderson’s 8,898 registered voters, 1,656 cast ballots – that represents a little more than 18 percent of the voters who turned out.

Reminder About Precinct Changes In Advance Of Oct. 7 Election

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— information courtesy of Vance County Board of Elections Director Haley Rawles

A reminder to Henderson voters planning to go to the polls on Tuesday, Oct. 7 – there are a couple of different polling places as a result of precinct consolidation.

According to information from Vance County Board of Elections Director Haley Rawles On behalf of the Vance County Board of Elections, the following changes are in effect:

  • North Henderson 1 & East Henderson 1 voters will now vote at Central Henderson (the gym on the former Eaton Johnson campus), 500 N. Beckford Dr.
  • Hilltop & South Henderson 2 voters will now vote at South Henderson (Perry Memorial Library), 205 Breckenridge St.

These changes are permanent, Rawles said and will apply to the upcoming nonpartisan municipal election and all future elections.

Another reminder from Rawles: Only residents living within the City of Henderson are eligible to vote in the city election. Voters living in Vance County but outside the city limits are not eligible to vote in this election.

Updated voter cards were mailed to all voters affected by the precinct change, and Rawles said anyone with question should call the Board of Elections office at 252.492.3730 or visit ncsbe.gov to check their voter information.

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Final Candidate List For Henderson’s Oct. 7 Municipal Election

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UPDATE: 8-28-25
The filing period for the Oct. 7 municipal elections ended at 12 noon Friday, July 18. Each of the four ward seats for Henderson City Council has multiple candidates seeking the position, according to information from Vance County Board of Elections Deputy Director Shelly Wood.

Here is the complete listing of candidates, in alphabetical order:

Henderson City Council Ward 1 at large:

Geraldine Champion

Sara M. Coffey (incumbent)

Kenia Gomez-Jimenez

Clementine “Tina” Hunter

Henderson City Council Ward 2 at large:

Benjamin Buckner – (suspended his campaign Aug 28 and endorsed the incumbent)

George L. Mayo

Lamont Noel (incumbent)

Henderson City Council Ward 3:

Garry Daeke (incumbent)

Clifford “Cliff” High

Jason A. Spriggs

Deryl “Ms. Dee” vonWilliams

Henderson City Council Ward 4:

Catherine “Kitty” Gill

Fred Robertson

Ola Thorpe-Cooper (incumbent)

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OUTSIDE OF HENDERSON

Filings for the municipalities of Kittrell and Middleburg:

Kittrell mayor:

Gene Pulley

Kittrell town commissioner:

Mary Jo Floyd

Susan Pulley

Robert B. Tunstall

Middleburg mayor:

Ray Bullock

Middleburg town council:

Hazel A. Baskett

Shirley H. Bullock

Mamie Turner