If you want to run and help save our city, county, state, and country GET IN THE RACE. We need the people out there that don’t want to run but will make a strong leader. If you are out there, WE NEED YOU. If you know of one, get to them and talk to them. And then talk them into running!
From the Winston-Salem Journal article: Filing for the 2010 elections will open Monday for federal, state and county candidates — the first time that seats for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school board will be contested on a nonpartisan basis.
State legislators voted last year to make the local school-board positions nonpartisan. Forsyth County was one of a handful in North Carolina and the only urban district that still elected school-board members in a partisan fashion.
Legislators last year also approved staggered terms for the school board.
That means that beginning in 2012, five board members will be up for election to four-year terms.
The remaining four members will be up for four-year terms in 2014. Previously, all members of the board served four-year terms and were elected at the same time.
All nine school-board seats will be up for election this year. Eight incumbents already have announced their intentions to run again.
Six seats will continue to be contested in two districts, while three members will continue to be elected on an at-large basis, representing the entire county.
This election year is shaping up to be a busy one. Besides the school board, this year’s ballot includes:
The U.S. Senate seat currently held by Richard Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican. Three declared Democratic opponents to Burr, along with anyone else who files, would meet in a May 4 primary election. The Democrats who have announced plans to challenge Burr are Elaine Marshall, the N.C. secretary of state; Cal Cunningham, a lawyer who lives in Lexington and practices in Winston-Salem; and Ken Lewis, a lawyer in Chapel Hill.
Congressional seats, including the 5th and 12th districts in Northwest North Carolina. The 5th District seat is held by three-term incumbent Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican who has said that she will run for re-election. Her expected Democratic challenger, Billy Kennedy, a farmer and carpenter from Watauga County, is expected to formally announce his candidacy on Monday. The 12th District seat is held by Rep. Mel Watt, a Democrat who has served nine terms.
Representatives to the N.C. Senate and House; Forsyth County sheriff; three seats on the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners; Forsyth County district attorney; three District Court judges; a Superior Court judge; and the clerk of Superior Court.
The filing period will end Feb. 26.
The primary election will be May 4 and the general election Nov. 2.