ROCKINGHAM — With one more Democratic candidate joining the race for the Richmond County Board of Commissioners, a party primary will now be required.
Commissioner Tavares Bostic filed Friday to retain the seat he was elected to in 2018, according to the Richmond County Board of Elections.
Bostic will go up against fellow Democratic Commissioner Don Bryant and challengers Michael Legrande, Linda Ross and Hamlet Councilwoman Abbie Covington in a primary on May 17.
So far, only two Republicans — Commissioners Justin Dawnkins and Dr. Rick Watkins — have filed in that race. Watkins, who was elected the same year as Bostic, was registered as a Democrat but changed his party affiliation prior to the original filing period, which opened in December.
The four seats held by Bostic, Dawkins, Bryant and Watkins are up for reelection.
Dawkins was appointed to his seat in late 2021 to fill the remainder of Ben Moss’ term after Moss was elected to the N.C. House of Representatives. He currently serves as vice chairman of the board.
But those aren’t the only candidates in the race.
Joe Ward, Bryan Stanback and former Hamlet Councilman Johnathan Buie are unaffiliated candidates petitioning for signatures.
Elections Director Connie Kelly said Friday that no signatures for the commissioners race have been submitted.
Petitioners will have to solicit 1,094 valid signatures from Richmond County voters by May 17 to be on the ballot, Kelly said. If they succeed, they will then have to pay the filing fee.
Kelly said Thursday that bail bondsman Tyrannia Ellerbe has filed an organizational report to run for election to the board.
The race for Richmond County Sheriff will also be on the ballot for the Democratic primary, as former NYPD officer Nigel Bristow filed Thursday to challenge Sheriff Mark Gulledge, who was appointed to wear the star following the unexpected death of Sheriff James E. Clemmons Jr. in August 2021.
Gulledge served as Clemmons’ chief deputy for a decade.
Another candidate, Ashley Brower, is petitioning to be on the ballot for Clerk of Superior Court, challenging incumbent Vickie Daniel. As of Thursday, Brower had collected around 800 signatures.
As for the race for the Richmond County Board of Education, Bobbie Sue Ormsby is the only incumbent yet to have filed for reelection. The other three opening seats are held by Pat Campbell, Daryl Mason and Joe Richardson.
There are five challengers so far in the election: longtime educator Cory Satterfield; Ellerbe Commissioner Jeremy McKenzie; Scotty Baldwin; Bess Shuler; and Eddie Rainwater.
That election will be held on May 17, along with the primaries.
Filing ends at noon Friday, March 4.
