Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

April 17, 2008 issue

Council of State

Voters will elect officials to all of the North Carolina Council of State offices in November, but during the primary, only candidates for six offices face primaries: lieutenant governor, auditor, treasurer, commissioner of labor, commissioner of insurance and superintendent of public instruction.

The NC State Board of Elections has produced and mailed a primary voter guide that includes information and personal statements from candidates for auditor, commissioner of insurance and superintendent of public instruction. If you haven’t received a copy of the voter guide, you can access it online by clicking to www.sboe.state.nc.us.

Lieutenant Governor: North Carolina's lieutenant governor is the only elected official to have powers in both the legislative and executive branches of state government. Under the constitution, the lieutenant governor is first in line to succeed the governorship if the office becomes vacant. In the legislature, the lieutenant governor is the president of the state Senate, serving as its chief presiding officer, and directs the debate of bills on the Senate floor.

This crowded race has four Republicans running in the GOP primary and four Democrats running in the Democratic primary. The seat is empty because incumbent Bev Perdue is running for governor. To learn more about each candidate, click to his website.

GOP Candidates

• Timothy Cook—projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/
profiles/timothy_cook
• Greg Dority—www.gregdorityforltgov.com
• Robert Pittenger—www.robertpittenger.com
• Jim Snyder—www.joinjim08.com

Democratic Candidates

• Walter H. Dalton—www.walterdalton.org
• Hampton Dellinger—www.hd08.com
• Pat Smathers—www.patsmathers2008.com
• Dan Besse—www.danbesse2008.org

Auditor: The state auditor is responsible for evaluating state government’s use of public resources.

Republican incumbent Leslie Merritt is running for reelection and does not have a primary. Two Democrats, however, are in a primary, and the winner will run against Merritt in November. To learn more about the two Democratic candidates, click to their websites.

• Beth A. Wood—www.bethwoodcampaign.com
• Fred Aikens—www.fredaikens.com

Treasurer: The Department of the State Treasurer administers the public employee retirement systems for more than 700,000 North Carolinians, as well as the 401K and 457 plans for public employees. The department provides fiscal assistance and expertise to local governmental units by assisting them in the sale of local government debt obligations and in maintaining good budgeting, accounting, reporting and other fiscal procedures. It also administers NC Cash, the unclaimed property database that holds more than $500 million.

The seat is empty because incumbent Richard Moore is running for governor.

One Republican—Bill Daughtridge—has filed for the seat, so he does not have a primary. Three Democrats, however, face each other in the primary. To learn more about the Democratic candidates, click to their websites.

• Janet Cowell—www.cowellfortreasurer.com
• Michael Weisel—www.weisel2008.org
• David Young—www.davidyoung2008.com

Commissioner of Labor: The N.C. Department of Labor is charged with promoting the “health, safety and general well-being” of more than 4 million workers in the state. The department is divided into three divisions: Administration, Occupational Safety and Health, and Standards and Inspections.

Republican incumbent Cherie Berry is running for reelection and does not have a primary. Four Democrats, however, are in a primary, and the winner will run against Berry in November. To learn more about the Democratic candidates, click to their websites.

• Mary Fant Donnan—www.maryfantdonnan.com/home
• Ty Richardson—tyrichardson.org
• Robin Anderson—www.andersonforlabor.org
• John C. Brooks—projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/
profiles/john_brooks

Commissioner of Insurance: The N.C. Department of Insurance, with approximately 400 employees and 20 divisions, regulates the insurance industry, licenses insurance professionals and others, educates consumers about different types of insurance and handles consumer complaints. The department also houses the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Incumbent Commissioner Jim Long is not running for reelection, and only one Republican—John Odom—filed for the race, so he is not in a primary. Two Democrats, however, face each other in the primary. To learn more about the Democratic candidates, click to their websites.

• Wayne Goodwin—www.waynegoodwin.org
• David C. Smith—www.electdavidsmith.com

Superintendent of Public Instruction: The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction implement the state's public school laws and the State Board of Education's policies and procedures governing pre-kindergarten through 12th grade public education. The state superintendent heads the department and functions under the policy direction of the State Board of Education.

Democratic incumbent June St. Clair Atkinson faces a primary opponent, and three Republicans are in a primary as well.

Democratic Candidates

• June St. Clair Atkinson—www.juneatkinson.com
• Eddie Davis—projects.newsobserver.com/profiles/eddie_davis

GOP Candidates

• Joe Johnson—www.electjoejohnson.org
• Richard Morgan—projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/
profiles/richard_morgan
• Eric H. Smith—www.smithfornckids.com/?q=node/10