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Hopeful candidates waste no time filing for elections
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Published: February 9, 2010
Steve Johnson had to wait in line in the lobby of the Iredell County County Board of Elections office when he arrived there at about 12:05 p.m. Monday.
That was five minutes or so after the filing period for elective offices opened.
When Johnson walked in the door, three fellow Republicans — fellow incumbent Marvin Norman, computer consultant Dennis Moody and private school principal Renee Griffith — were already handing their filing paperwork to elections board officials.
Coming in to file right behind Johnson was Statesville business-owner Gene Houpe.
All of them were starting the process to become candidates for a seat on the Iredell County Board of Commissioners.
The five Republicans who threw their proverbial hats in the ring at the very start of the filing period matches the total number of GOP candidates who ran for a commissioners seat 2008.
And this number does not even include Mooresville resident Fred Coggins, who came in to file Monday morning but did not bring enough money to cover the filing fee.
Coggins — who ran for the Board of Commissioners in 2008 as a Democrat — said he was not aware that the filing fee had jumped from $10 to $101 in the past two years.
"This is what I'm talking about," said Coggins as he left the Board of Elections building. "It's things like this, not getting the information out, that shows we need to change things."
Coggins said he joined the GOP to see if his loss in 2008 could be attributed to his party affiliation. He told elections officials he planned to come back today with the proper amount of money.
But for Johnson, filing is old hat.
"I usually come out and do it early," said Johnson, who has won four four-year terms on the board since 1994.
He then noted the competition.
"Looks like we're going to have a primary," he said.
Griffith is the lone woman in the Board of Commissioners field so far. She said her involvement in the Tea Party Movement inspired her to file.
"I'm a conservative," she said. "I'm pro-law enforcement, pro-gun and pro-life. I'm against wasteful spending and I think that if the people have to then the government should, too."
Houpe is entering his third campaign in two years. In 2008, he ran for a commissioners seat and last year he ultimately lost a run-off election in his bid for a seat on the Statesville City Council.
"I'm taking another crack at it," Houpe said Monday. "You heard how both Lincoln and Reagan ran several times before they finally won, so I'm going to keep trying."
Statesville resident Theodore Geary was the sole Democrat who filed for a county commissioner seat Monday.
There are three seats up for grabs on the Board of Commissioners.
Also filing Monday were:
+ Grey Mills, Republican (incumbent) — N.C. House of Representatives 95th District
+ Rena Turner, Republican (incumbent) — Clerk of Superior Court
+ Erin Mendaloff-Green, Democrat — Clerk of Superior Court
+ Brenda Bell, Democrat (incumbent) — Register of Deeds
+ Matt McCall, Republican — Register of Deeds
+ Jeff Cheek, Democrat — Sheriff
+ Phil Blocker, Republican — Sheriff
+ John Rogers (incumbent) Iredell-Statesville Board of Education District 3
"That's pretty high for the first day," said Elections Director Becky Galliher of the 14 total filings. "I think it will be a busy election year. But time will tell."
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