(The Center Square) – Voting is underway in North Carolina’s second primary, though the races are limited and include just two – both Republican – of statewide interest.
County boards of elections began, just over a week ago, mailing absentee ballots to those making a request on March 30. Next up on the timeline is in-person early voting starting April 25.
Voters needing a ballot to vote by absentee can request through 5 p.m. on May 7, and in-person early voting ends at 3 p.m. on May 11. The Second Primary Election Day is May 14, with all absentee ballots due in election offices by 7:30 p.m. when polls close.
Eligible voters who have registered with a party can vote. For unaffiliated voters, the state’s largest bloc, each individual would either have to vote in the same party ballot as the first primary for March 5, or have not voted in the first primary.
The statewide Republican races are Hal Weatherman and Jim O’Neill for lieutenant governor; and Jack Clark and Dave Boliek for auditor. The U.S. House District 13 spot on the November ballot for Republicans is between Kelly Daughtry and Brad Knott.
The other runoffs are local. Republicans Jim Bailey and Ronnie Worley are trying to get the GOP nomination for the South Point Township District on the Gaston County Board of Commissioners.
An Orange County Schools Board of Education seat will be decided by Jennifer Moore and Bonnie Hauser. They were third and fourth, respectively, in a race for three seats. Both are incumbents and registered Democrats. Moore would give the more progessive-leaning board members a 4-3 edge over moderates; Hauser would make it 4-3 for the more moderate.
Runoffs are necessary, by state law, when a second-place candidate in the primary requests it if no candidate in the election reaches 30% of the votes cast.
