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Filings continue
by Johnny Whitfield and Kristina Leighton, Wake Weekly Staff Writers
A Wake Forest town commissioner made good on his promise last week and filed to challenge incumbent Wake County Commissioner Betty Lou Ward.
Chris Malone filled out the paperwork with the Wake County Board of Elections Friday to become the next commissioner to represent northern Wake County. Malone, a Republican, would square off against Democrat Ward in November. Another Wake Forest-area resident also entered the political fray. Dr. Jeanne Smoot filed last Monday to fill the seat of State Superintendent of Public Instruction. That seat is currently held by another Wake Forest native, Dr. Mike Ward, who has said he will not run again. Smoot, a lifelong educator, has also worked in the Reagan and first Bush administrations, including a stint with the National Humanities Council, where she worked under Lynne Cheney, the wife of Vice President Dick Cheney. For now Smoot, who is a Republican, faces no opposition in the July 20 primary. Two Democrats, June S. Atkinson and Marshall Stewart, have both filed to run for State Superintendent. Smoot said she is running to spearhead education reform. "We must reform education in North Carolina so that our teachers are empowered to teach. Right now they are awash in paperwork and burdensome testing requirements," Smoot said. In other races of local interest, Libertarian Andrew Hatchell, of Raleigh, tossed his hat into the ring for the State House seat in District 40. That seat is currently held by Rick Eddins, who has also filed to keep his seat along with Raleigh attorney David S. Robinson and Wake Forest resident Joe O'Shaughnessy. Franklin County In week two of the 2004 election filing period, several more Franklin County residents have thrown their hats in the ring. Among these, Don Lancaster, currently the vice chair of the Franklin County Board of Education, has filed for the District 5 County Commissioner's seat. "I have the dedication, desire, discipline and determination to make Franklin County a better place to live," Lancaster said. He was elected to the school board in 1998 and served as chairman in 2001-2002. Lancaster is currently the vice president at First Citizens Bank in Louisburg, where he has worked for 18 years. He said his three primary concerns about Franklin County are economic development, teamwork and fiscal responsibility. "As a businessman and banker, I've been trained and educated to look at things with a long-term perspective," he said. "We need to look at every dollar that Franklin County takes in, and just as importantly, every dollar that Franklin County spends -- and we have to make absolutely sure that we are spending our taxpayers' money effectively and efficiently." Lancaster said he doesn't intend to leave his seat on the school board unless elected to the county board of commissioners. Democrat Andrea Ehresman also filed for the District 5 commissioner's seat this week. She is a project coordinator for Franklin County schools. Ehresman could not be reached for comment. Novette Bunn, a retired library technician for Franklin County, filed for the District 3 county commissioner's seat, currently held by Commissioner Robert Lee Swanson. Bunn worked for the county for 27 years. This is her first run for office. Ernie Robertson, a former Franklin County Sheriff's Department investigator, also filed for the Distict 3 seat. "I want the people's voice heard and taken into consideration," she said. "I've lived here all my life and grew up on a farm -- I know the struggles and rewards of farming." Beverly Long Joseph and Mary Vollmer have both filed for Franklin County Board of Education seats 2 and 4, respectively. Joseph has been an elementary school principal in Vance County for the past six years. She previously spent a combined six years with the Franklinton City School system and the merged county school system as the director of exceptional children's services and the director of student services. "I've worked at every level, from the classroom to central office," she said. "I feel that with the experience I've had, I can make a difference on the school board." The seat is currently held by Randy Wright of Franklinton. Wright, a four-term board member, said Monday he hadn't decided whether to run again. Vollmer works with her husband on Vollmer Farm in Bunn, where they operate the fall pumpkin business, in addition to hosting entertainment venues and educational tours. Vollmer has three children in Franklin County schools. "I'd like to be active in helping the school system be a strong program as we continue to grow," she said. Dannie Williams, a teacher at the W.L. Green alternative school, has filed for the at-large seat 6. Williams, a Democrat, had applied with several others for the open District 4 seat after Michelle Robinson left, but the board took no action on those applications. Williams said he is running because he knows he can help the school board do a better job. "I am deeply concerned about how decisions that the school board makes today will affect the lives of our children and future generations," he said. Williams said one of his primary concerns is closing the achievement gap. That seat is currently occupied by Johnny Alford. As of press time, Alford had not filed. N.C. Rep. Lucy Allen also filed this week, running for re-election of the N.C. House District 49 seat. Allen is currently completing her first term in the General Assembly. "Everybody has as their top priority jobs and the economy," she said. "I'm proud to do my part in the legislature to support those efforts." Allen has also pressed the North Carolina Department of Transportation for funding the U.S. 401 widening project, she said. She said she is pleased with the number of citizens who have contacted her to express their views. "I can't always solve every problem," she said, "but I'm always glad to make an effort. "I look forward to continuing to represent the people of District 49." Candidate filing runs through Friday at noon. The primary election will be held July 20.
Last Updated On: May 6, 2004
Copyright 2004 The Wake Weekly