Absentee ballots will be available starting Monday in the new election between Pittsboro town commissioner candidates Hugh Harrington and Michele Berger. Harrington’s six-vote victory last fall was challenged by Berger, and after it was revealed that at least 17 residents received the wrong ballots the county and state boards of election called for a new election. Election Day has been set for March 18, preceded by a month-long absentee voting cycle. Any voter registered in the town of Pittsboro at the time of the new election is eligible to vote in the special election. More »

Fundraising numbers reported by state Senate candidates Moses Carey and Ellie Kinnaird show Carey took in $31,180 in the last seven months of 2007 and reported $28,204 cash on hand. Kinnaird, the incumbent, raised $6,065 and reported $19,293 in cash on hand at the end of the reporting cycle. Kinnaird had considered retiring this year but announced in late October she would seek re-election.

Word filtered out this week that last Thursday Sen. Hillary Clinton paid an unannounced visit to John Edwards’ Orange County home for a talk about the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Edwards, who dropped out of the running in early February, won four delegates in New Hampshire, 14 in Iowa and eight in South Carolina. A meeting with Sen. Barack Obama, who swept this week’s Potomac primaries, is being scheduled.

Steven Halkiotis, a retired assistant superintendent with Orange County Schools who served five terms on the Orange County Board of Commissioners, has filed to run for Orange County Schools Board of Education.

Halkiotis, who opted not to run for re-election as commissioner in 2006, recently retired from Orange County Schools, where he was the district’s director of auxiliary services.

By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

Although the contenders on the national portion of the ticket are already campaigning, the 2008 state primary season officially starts Monday with the opening of the three-week filing period.

Candidates can file at the Orange County Board of Elections office in Hillsborough from noon on Monday, Feb. 11 till noon February 29.

The primary will see a full ballot, with national presidential and congressional races and state races — including governor, lieutenant governor and council of state as well as legislative contests — judicial races and the first districts contest for Orange County Board of Commissioners. Also on May 6, voters will select three members for the nonpartisan Orange County Schools Board of Education.

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By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board Chair Pam Hemminger and Orange County Planning Board member Bernadette Pelissier say they plan to file soon for the May Democratic primary for Orange County commissioner. They’ll join incumbent commissioner Valerie Foushee who has indicated previously she’ll seek another term.

Filing season starts Monday at noon and Hemminger, who sought a seat on the board in 2004, said she plans to get started early. She said she wants to run because of her concern for how the county will handle growth.

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Age: 50 (but I look younger)

Neighborhood: Downtown, next to the Town Commons for 15 years (since before there was a Farmer’s Market)

Family: Married to Wendy Wenck on May 5, 2005 after 20 years of togetherness. No children, but we have two terrier dogs and a yellow cat.

Profession/Business: Recent graduate in accounting, still looking for a real job. I have worked with Tarheel Takeout since August 2006.

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Age: 37

Neighborhood: Downtown Carrboro

Family: Married with two boys, ages 6 and 8.

Profession/Business: Attorney and broker

Education & Experience: Juris Doctor NCCU School of Law 1997; Bachelor of Arts, UNC-CH, Geography, 1993.  Chapel Hill Town Council, 1991-1997; Carrboro Board of Aldermen, 2003-2005; Mayor of Carrboro, 2005-present.

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Age: 40

Neighborhood: Highlands

Family: Husband, Randolph; daughters, Lara  & Courtney; cat, Fred

Profession/Business: Pastry Chef, La Residence; Local Business Owner, Sugarland, Chapel Hill

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Age: 46

Neighborhood: Spring Valley Subdivsion

Family: Married to Jonathan E. Broun, two children

Profession/Business: Attorney; director, North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Lobbying Compliance Division

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Age: 46

Neighborhood: Fox Meadow

Family: Partner, Alicia Stemper; children, Riley (12) and Avery (9)

Profession/Business: Attorney/Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, North Carolina Central University School of Law

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Age: 55

Neighborhood: Fairoaks

Family: married with two children

Profession/Business: Develop database software for nonprofits

Education: Brown University; UNC School of Business Administration Program for Technical Managers

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Age: 53

Neighborhood: Highlands

Family: My husband, Bill, and I have been married for 23 years. We have three teenage children.

Profession/Business: For the past 18 years, I’ve been a homemaker and community volunteer working in a wide range of community organizations where I regularly apply my writing, research, leadership, organization and team-building skills.

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Age: 49

Neighborhood: The Village Apartments off Smith Level Road

Profession: Unemployed due to disability

Education and Experience: B.A. in Psychology at UNC-Chapel Hill. Former board member Disability Council; volunteer with Orange County Skills Development Center, Helpline and United Methodist Church; Governor’s award for outstanding volunteer of the year

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Age: 65

Kids: An 11-year-old who attends Frank Porter Graham

Profession: Semi-retired not-for-profit consultant

Education: Master of Social Work in administration from Fordham University, Master of Journalism in marketing and advertising from Northwestern University, Bachelor of Arts in radio and television from Arizona State University

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