Election ’08:

One-stop voting

kicks off April 17
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

One-stop voting for the 2008 primary begins this week, with few local races but a number of state-office seekers on the ballot.

One-stop absentee voting kicks off April 17 and runs weekdays through May 2, with weekday hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The only Saturday for one-stop voting is May 3, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. One-stop voting will take place at the Agricultural Conference Center at 252 Poplar Grove Road in Boone.

The only county-level race on the primary ballot is for the District 1 county-commissioner seat. Tim Futrelle and Doug McGuinn are vying for the Democratic nomination, with no scheduled opponent in the fall.

In the 45th N.C. Senate District, Republican voters will be choosing between Jerry Butler and Dwight Shook as their party’s candidate to face incumbent Steve Goss.

In the 5th U.S. Congressional District, Democrats Roy Carter and Diane Hamby are competing to face incumbent Virginia Foxx.

Democrats will also be choosing a presidential candidate in a close race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and five candidates are running for the U.S. Senate nomination to oppose Sen. Elizabeth Dole. There are three candidates for governor and four for lieutenant governor, as well as several statewide races
Republicans will also be choosing a presidential nominee, though Sen. John McCain is acknowledged the winner nationwide.

Primary election day is May 6, with Tuesday, April 29 the last day to request absentee ballots in writing.