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low-key race here, an underestimated face-off there. That’s what voters will find on the ballots on Tuesday May 6. In a non-Presidential election year, the stakes may seem lower. Nonetheless, the elections on Tuesday set the stage for what could be a more contentious election season in the fall. And one race – for school board – is to be decided in this May voting.

Democratic Primary For Sheriff

One of the more high-profile races is the sheriff’s primary in Pamlico County. Campaign signs went up as early as last November, (which confused some voters in to thinking the sheriff’s election was happening then.) Half a year later, on Tuesday, voters get their first chance to weigh in.

In the Democratic primary, incumbent Sheriff Billy Sawyer faces a challenge from fellow Democrat David Spruill. The winner of that primary will face former Democrat and new Republican candidate Chris Davis in November.

Democrats Pick Who Will Run Against Sanderson

In another Democratic primary, voters will be choosing the candidate for the NC State Senate District 2. The candidates in the running are Carroll (Carr) Ipock, II of New Bern and long time head of the Craven Board of Education, and Fernie J. Hymon of Beaufort and Dorothea E. White. The winner of that race will face incumbent Republican State Senator, Norman Sanderson.

GOP Primary for US Senate

The big primary for Republicans on Tuesday is the race to see who will be the party’s candidate for the US Senate in the fall. It’s a crowded field in that primary. The 8 candidates are Ted Alexander, Alex Lee Bradshaw, Greg Brannon, Heather Grant, Mark Harris, Edward Kryn, Jim Snyder and Thom Tillis.

Whichever Republican wins that primary will likely be facing incumbent Democratic Senator Kay Hagan in November. First though, Hagan herself has some primary opposition within the Democratic ranks on Tuesday, from Will Stewart and Ernest T. Reeves.

Also facing a challenge within his party, is Republican US Congressman Walter Jones who represents NC’s 3rd Congressional District. His opponents in that GOP primary are Al (Big Al) Novinec and Taylor Griffin.

Back at the local level, there are no contested primaries in the Oriental precinct for county commission, but in County Commission District 3, Democrats John Buck and Benjamin Derek Potter are vying for the nod to run in November for the seat being vacated by Jimmy Spain.

Libertarians are also running primaries on Tuesday. Sean Haugh and Tim D’Annunzio are facing off to see who will be the Libertarian candidate for the US Senate race in November.

The parties’ primaries are open to voters from those parties. Voters who are unaffiliated may opt to vote in the primary.

• Click here for Sample Ballot for Republican Primary Voters in Oriental Precinct

• Click here for Sample Ballot for Democratic Primary Voters in Oriental Precinct

• Click here for Sample Ballot for only the Supreme Court and Pamlico School Board races. (No primary.)

Democratic and Republican and Libertarian primaries aren’t the only thing happening on Tuesday. There are two other reasons to go to the polls.

Pamlico Board of Education Race

The Pamlico School Board races are decided now, in May, and not in November. Incumbents Reginald Hawkins, Sr. and Garry Cooper are facing a challenge from Paul Delamar, Jr and Judy Humphries.

Justice In The Mix

Voters get to pass judgment on the NC Supreme Court. There’s a NC Supreme Court justice primary with three candidates. It’s a thinning of the field: the top two vote-getters will face off in November.

Officially, this Supreme Court race is a non-partisan race, but that doesn’t mean it’s not political. It is. Very political. Partisans both in NC and outside the state are focusing on this race. There’s money being spent, and ads are running for a race that a decade ago wouldn’t have attracted so much attention.

On the ballot are incumbent Supreme Court Justice Robin Hudson and challengers Eric Levinson and Jeanette Doran. While they don’t run as members of parties – there’s no D or R after anyone’s name on the ballot for Justice — it’s common knowledge that Hudson has the support of Democratic groups, and that Levinson and Doran have the support of Republican groups.

Voting and ID

The process of voting may be slowed down on Tuesday as poll workers take time to ask voters if they have a photo ID. The voters do not have to show the ID in this election. That change in NC’s Voting law, passed by the NC legislature’s Republican majority, does not take hold until 2016. As part of ramping up toward it, poll workers are asking if voters have the ID now to alert them to the need for it in the future.

Posted Monday May 5, 2014 by Melinda Penkava