Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15. All precincts will be open for this election. Folks can gather on Tuesday night in the Superior Courtroom of the Bladen County Courthouse to watch the election returns beginning at 7:30 p.m.
After the completion of One Stop voting on Saturday, 3,099 ballots have been cast for the March 15, primary election.
There are three referendums are on the ballot in Bladen County for voters to decide on Tuesday. They include the Connect NC Bond, a proposed quarter-cent sales tax, and a vote “for” or “against” the on-premises and off-premises sale of malt beverages and unfortified wine. Currently, White Lake only allows the sale of wine at such places as convenient stores.
The Connect NC Bond is a statewide referendum that if approved, would mean about $2 billion would become available for projects throughout the state. Here in Bladen County, if the bond is approved, Bladen Community College would receive $6.5 million, Jones Lake State Park would receive $651,750 and Singletary Lake would receive $575,250.
The quarter-cent sales tax referendum would be used to reduce the property tax by .02 cents. The tax would not impact such items as groceries, prescription drugs, automobile purchases or utilities.
In contested races in Bladen County:
** In the Democratic primary for the Bladen County Commissioner Countywide race, Avery Rising Jr. and Pamela Benton will face off against incumbent commissioners James G. “Jimmie” Smith, G. Michael Cogdell.
** In the Republican primary for Countywide Commissioner Billy Ray Britt will challenge former Commissioner David Gooden.
**In the race for Bladen County Commissioner District 1, Anthony McKoy and Ophelia Munn-Goins will vie for the seat formerly held by outgoing Commissioner Delilah Blanks.
**The race for Bladen County Commissioner District 3 race, incumbent Dem. Wayne Edge faces a challenge for his seat from fellow democrat Kenneth Register Jr.
**In the Bladen County Board of Education District 1 race, Sabrina Murchison and Glenn C. McKoy will vie for the seat formerly held by Ophelia Munn-Goins.
**In the Bladen County Board of Education District 2 race, Berry Lewis will challenge incumbent Wilbur Smith Jr. for his seat.
**In the North Carolina House District 22 race, incumbent Dem. William Brisson will face a challenge from fellow Dem. Ben Snyder.
In uncontested races in Bladen County:
** The Libertarian primary for Countywide Commissioner saw Randy Crow seeking for election.
**In the race for Bladen County Commissioner District 2 race, incumbent Dem. Daniel Dowless has filed for re-election and is unopposed for his seat.
** In the Republican primary for the County Commissioner District 3 race, Ashley Smith Trivette has filed seeking election to that seat.
** In the Bladen County Board of Education District 3 race, incumbent Dem. Bonnell Walker has filed for re-election to her seat. She is unopposed.
** In the North Carolina House District 46 race, Republican Brenden Jones has filed seeking election as has Dem. Timothy “Tim” Benton, and Lib. Thomas “Tom” Howell Jr. Incumbent Ken Waddell has announced he will not seek re-election.
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