Municipal Filing Period Remarkable in its Lack of Candidate Participation | Eastern North Carolina Now

   Municipal elections, except for Belhaven, have come to a close with the most distinguishable fact being the remarkable lack of candidate participation, represented by the incredible point that Aurora and Washington Park do not even have enough candidates to fill their candidate rosters. In both instances, these municipalities will need to rely on write-in candidates to fill out their slate of candidates or they will have to find a way make do with less.

    Regarding the corporate municipality of Belhaven, they will begin their filing period on July 25, 2011 at 12:00 pm and end at 12:00 pm on August 12, 2011. The election will be held on November 8, 2011 at all precinct polls within the city limits of the corporate municipalities electing officials.

    Concerning the low turnout of civic minded folks seeking purposeful change, having fewer politicians is not necessary a bad thing; however, this lack of county wide civic participation does not bode well for a well functioning democratic republic, such is our local method of governing ourselves.

    Also remarkable is that Washington Mayor Archie Jennings will run unopposed in his election. The City of Washington is in terrible financial shape, and one would have to consider that there is within this community, a great group of individuals that do not realize this inarguable fact or just don't care. In either case this speaks poorly of Washington's electorate.