EDENTON — Local Boards of Elections across northeastern North Carolina welcomed newly appointed members this week as swearing-in ceremonies were held in several counties. The ceremonies mark the start of a new two-year term for the bipartisan boards responsible for overseeing the administration of elections at the county level.
In Chowan County, Dwayne Goodwin, Clerk of Superior Court, administered the oath of office to three of the four new board members in a ceremony held Tuesday. Republican Robin Mayer was sworn in as Chair, alongside members Stella Brothers and Allan Smith, both Democrats. A fourth member, Elizabeth Corker, a Republican was unable to attend the group ceremony and was sworn in separately. The state Board of Elections is expected to apoint a Republican in August to fill the fifth spot on the Board. The Chowan County Board will now begin preparations for the 2026 election cycle, including local primaries and general elections.
Meanwhile in Perquimans County, Republican Kevin Jones will serve as chair with members being Democrats Ella Fields-Bunch and Fondella Leigh, and Republicans Edgar Roberson Steve Harris. Photograph (below) from Perquimans Board of Elections: Left to right — Edgar Roberson Fondella Leigh, Kevin Jones, Ella Fields Bunch, and Steve Harris.
In neighboring Bertie County, the full five-member Board of Elections was officially sworn in with Republican Tim Davis assuming the role of Chair. The new board consists of Republicans Tammy Lee and Pam Staneski, along with Democrats and Lori Morings and James Lee. With a Republican majority on the board, Bertie joins several other counties across the region where the GOP has taken the lead on election oversight. The ceremony marked a smooth transition and was celebrated by local officials and community members.
In Pasquotank County, Virginia Wasserberg (above/red jacket), a Republican, took the oath Tuesday as the newly appointed Chair of the Board of Elections along with Republicans George Hague and Deborah Hurdle, and Democrats Michelle Aydlette and Darlene Spellman. The swearing-in ceremony was officiated by Pasquotank County Register of Deeds Penny Newbern, who administered the oath to all board members. The event was attended by family, colleagues, and community supporters, with several attendees contributing photos to commemorate the moment. Worth noting, Elizabeth City’s municipal election October 7.
In Tyrrell County, Republican Chairman Matthew Swain was sworn-in as chair; Democrat Secretary being Inetta Knight; Republican member Ronald Helms and Democrat member G. Cecil Lilley Jr. also taking the oath of office. Republican member Deborah Huth to be sworn in next week as she was unable to attend yesterday
In Washington County, Republican Robert Cody was sworn in as chair, with Democrat Kennedy Barber to serve as secretary, with members being Democrat General James and Republicans being Joyce Satterthwaite and Roger West.
Just because New Bern has probably has probably the largest grocery store at 100,000 square feet (Harris Teeter) in Eastern NC and I used to be editor of the Sun Journal — the Craven County Board of Elections also held a swearing-in ceremony this week at the county’s Board of Elections office. Clerk of Court Lexanne Huffman administered the oath of office to the new board members, which includes a Republican majority of three members to two Democrats. The newly appointed Republican members are Ross Hardeman, who will serve as Chair; Ernie Richardson IV, named Secretary; and Michael Speciale, a former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Speciale represented eastern North Carolina for eight years before choosing not to seek reelection. Democrats are Zeda Trice and Ronnie Lovick.
These swearing-in ceremonies mark the beginning of a new term that will include the important task of preparing for the 2026 midterm elections and any potential special elections in the meantime. Each county board consists of five members appointed by the State Board of Elections, with the majority party in the state legislature typically receiving three seats and the minority party two. Chairs are selected by the state board based on recommendations from local party organizations.
The new boards are expected to begin regular meetings in the coming weeks to discuss precinct staffing, voter outreach, and election security. As North Carolina continues to play a pivotal role in state and national elections, the newly sworn-in boards will be central to maintaining the integrity and accessibility of the electoral process.
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