Just hangin' out at the elections office before the filing deadline
Entering the old Guilford County Courthouse about 11:45 today, the first thing I notice is there's no line of candidates leading to the elections board office.
No, say the very friendly women working behind the desk. It's been quiet.
The last-day filers are few:
* Olga Morgan Wright, challenging Alma Adams in state House District 58 (again).
* Greg Woodard, running against Skip Alston in County Commissioner District 8 (that's interesting). Woodard and Alston are both Democrats, so they're heading for a primary contest in May.
* Alan Hawkes, for the at-large school board seat.
A couple of people are hanging around, somewhat anxiously. It turns out they're Paul Daniels and Linda Welborn. Daniels filed last week for the District 5 school board seat that Anita Sharpe holds currently, and he's waiting to see if anyone else will jump into that race. Welborn, an advocate for Southeast Guilford, supports Daniels and says she would have run if he didn't.
County Commissioner Paul Gibson drops by and threatens to have me evicted for loitering. I ask him if he's come to withdraw his candidacy for re-election. They won't refund his filing fee, he says. I think he's just making sure he and fellow Democratic incumbent John Parks aren't going to have a primary. Indeed, they won't: They're the only two Dems in the race for two seats.
As noon approaches, the final candidate finally appears. Ironically, it's the guy who was the very first to announce his candidacy: E.C. "Erik" Huey. It seems like he's been running for almost two years now, and he was brushing the deadline. He becomes the fifth candidate to enter the nonpartisan at-large school board race, so there will be a primary in May to whittle that to the top two.
Huey is a former newspaper reporter (he and I worked together at the High Point Enterprise) and teacher. Despite his almost last-minute appearance, he's very organized. He even has a press release and written statement.
Interestingly, he announces "the mutual support from GCS Board member Darlene Garrett and GCS Board candidate Paul Daniels." They represent a potential "voting bloc" on the board, Huey adds.
He and Daniels praise each other and launch into a discussion of school issues, joined by Willard and state Rep. John Blust, who popped in to find out if anyone filed to run against him (no). Blust will engage anyone in conversation on any subject for as long as they want to talk.
Also passing by is Alston. Stuck in the aforementioned gabathon about schools, I miss his reaction when he finds out about Woodard. I can say he doesn't look panic-stricken. Woodard isn't likely to scare Alston much, but he was a hardworking, credible candidate in the District 1 City Council race last year (Correction: At-Large), and he will make a lot better opponent than no one.
I wish I could report on more action at the courthouse today. We'll have to hope for exciting happenings on the campaign trail.
Comments (17)
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Can you post Mr. Huey's press release/written statement? Since he's the only one that had one, I'd love to read it.
Thanks
Posted on February 29, 2008 8:53 PM
Voter:
my statement can be found here:
http://erikhuey.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/im-in/
I will also post them on my main website before the end of the weekend:
www.hueyforguilfordschoolboard.org
Posted on February 29, 2008 9:53 PM
Voter: here is the link to the press release:
http://www.geocities.com/hueyforguilfordschoolboard/filingrelease2-29-08.doc
Posted on February 29, 2008 9:59 PM
I certainly hope that the News & Record will be endorsing EC Huey for the At-Large School Board position.
No one else has put the time, energy, and passion into this race as he has.
He has shown his dedication to the students of Guilford County over the last year and deserves to hold the seat.
Posted on March 1, 2008 9:33 AM
I'm still very curious why the N&R won't post Mr. Huey's "press release". Aren't they the "press"? One would think when someone shows up armed with a statement that the press would publish it. I'm sure they'll interview all the candidates as they've done in the past but I'm surprised that the press release wasn't posted/printed.
Thanks, Mr. Huey. I'll go read it at your site. I've heard great things about it.
Posted on March 1, 2008 11:57 AM
Mr. Huey your site it amazing. I just wanted you to know I read your press release and appreciate what you stand for. I also wanted others here to know that you seem very organized and you can even donate to your campaign by clicking on the donate button on your site.
Posted on March 1, 2008 12:04 PM
I can't speak for our news department, but media organizations simply don't print every statement or news release from every candidate. If they did, I imagine candidates would submit multipage statements and news releases with exhausting regularity and there wouldn't be room in the paper to run reports of the amazing comeback victories by Duke and Carolina today.
Posted on March 1, 2008 6:21 PM
Doug,
I also noticed that one of the at-large candidates for the Guilford County Board of Education is Sandra Alexander.
Is that the same Sandra Alexander who is (or has been) a professor at N.C. A & T State University, is a writer, and founded "Greensboro Scenic Tours" with her husband? (In the February 21st Carolina Peacemaker, a Libby Hill advertisement adds her to "our list of highly accomplished people.")
The results remain to be seen, but if Erik "E.C." Huey wins the at-large seat, his far-in-advance campaign efforts may serve as a model for others interested in becoming elected officials.
Sincerely,
Hardy
Posted on March 1, 2008 7:54 PM
Is this the EC Huey campaign site? Man you should be running for President to stop Obama with all of the support shown here!
Posted on March 1, 2008 9:24 PM
Seymour, that's Sandra Alexandra not Alexander. I have not been able to find any info on Ms. Alexandra--too bad not every candidate has a web-blog. Kudos to Mr. Huey for making himself known through such a forum. He's the front-runner so far in my mind just because I can ask him a question and get it answered via his blog. I have never met Mr. Huey but feel as if I already know him. I wish the current board members had half the enthusiasm that he has.
Seymour, I hope things are SWM are going well. I miss having a child there.
Posted on March 1, 2008 10:10 PM
Doug:
You overheard my conversation with Mr. Gibson about my commitment to work with county commissioners on school funding and ending the annual funding fiasco. Is there a reason you did not report our conversation? This would certainly be welcome news to many.
Best regards,
Paul Daniels
Posted on March 2, 2008 8:51 AM
Doug:
As you know, both Linda and I also spoke about our support for the upcoming bond referrendum, and why it was important to approve the measure. This information is important for voters.
Best regards,
Paul Daniels
Posted on March 2, 2008 8:57 AM
Doug only has time to report what he wants to report. Get used to the "reporting" of the N&R Mr. Daniels.
Good luck working with the BOE. They're one crazy bunch.
Posted on March 2, 2008 9:17 AM
obama non-voter: I think president is a little too much for me, even city council or county commissioner...school board is just my speed, thank you.
And thanks to everyone for the kind words; it will be needed to bring us victory in May...and again in November. The campaign site is actually
www.hueyforguilfordschoolboard.org.
Posted on March 2, 2008 9:43 AM
Thanks, Paul. I wasn't over there to report on any specific candidates or their platforms. To be fair, I would have had to track down all the other candidates and gotten their views. I was just checking out who was filing.
I was impressed with your exchange with Paul Gibson.
Of course, we don't know if he's going to win re-election. If not, you won't have a chance to work with him.
Posted on March 2, 2008 2:42 PM
Doug:
Thanks for your prompt response!
Best regards,
Paul Daniels
Posted on March 2, 2008 4:11 PM
Doug:
Thanks for your prompt response!
Best regards,
Paul Daniels
Posted on March 2, 2008 4:15 PM