Countdown for 2026 election begins
By Becky Long
Publisher
Residents planning to file as a candidate for office must have their paperwork turned in to the Clay County Board of Elections Office by 12 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19.
With only a few days to go, there’s still several seats open, but traditionally several candidates wait to throw their hats in the ring near end of the filing period.
Regarding the county commission where there are the three seats of the five-member board up for re-election, only Clay Logan has confirmed he will not seek another term. Scotty Penland and chairman Rob Peck are also up for re-election.
In the commission board race, seven candidates have filed so far: Republicans Dwight McClure, Christian Reagan who ran against U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards in 2022, Jason Rickett, Robert Seibert, Tighe White, Bonnye Williams and Democrat Keyla Youngblood Stillwell.
Ronnie Byers is petitioning to run as an unaffiliated candidate for commissioner. He will have to gain 4 percent of the registered voters as of Jan. 1, 2026. He will have until 12 p.m. on primary day, March 3 to return the petition to the Board of Elections for signature verification.
In the school board race Chairman Jason Shook, Robert Caldwell and Kelly Crawford’s terms are up. Shook has filed for re-election. As of Dec. 17, the only other candidate to sign up for a seat on the board is Keith Parker.
So far there are no contenders running against Republican incumbents Sheriff Mark Buchanan, Clerk of Court Tim Barrett or Registrar Angie Shook.
Voter registration in Clay County is listed at 10,018 with 5,059 of those being Republican; 3,637 unaffiliated and 1,267 Democratic Party and a small number of from other parties.
On the federal and state levels the following have filed their candidacy for office:
U.S. Senate:
Roy Cooper (D)
Daryl Farrow (D)
Marcus W. Williams (D)
Elizabeth A. Temple (R)
Donald M. (Don) Brown (R)
Michael Whatley (R)
Margot Dupre (R)
Thomas Johnson (R)
U.S. House Of Representatives District 11
Jamie Ager (D)
Paul Maddox (D)
Richard Hudspeth (D)
Chuck Edwards (R)
Adam R. Smith (R)
N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat
Anita Earls (D)
Sarah Stevens (R)
N.C. Court Of Appeals Judge Seat
John S. Arrowood (D)
Matt Smith (R)
Michael C. Byrne (R)
Tobias (Toby) Hampson (D)
George Cooper Bell (R)
James Weldon Whalen (D)
Christine Marie Walczyk (D)
Craig Collins (R)
N.C. State Senate
Tom Downing (D)
Kevin Corbin (R)
N.C. House Of Representatives
Caleb Brown (D)
Karl Gillespie (R)
N.C. District Court Judge
Donna Forga (R)
Justin B. Greene (D)
William (Bill) Jones (D)
District Attorney
Ashley Hornsby Welch (R)
Clay County Board Of Commissioners
Robert Seibert (R)
Dwight S. McClure, Sr. (R)
Tighe White (R)
Bonnye Williams (R)
Christian Reagan (R)
Jason A. Rickett (R)
Clay County Board Of Education
Jason Shook (R)
Keith Parker (R)
Clay County Clerk Of Superior Court
J. Tim Barrett (R)
Clay County Register Of Deeds
Angie Shook (R)
Clay County Sheriff
Mark Buchanan (R)