THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 6, 1996 TAG: 9602060299
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
From beneath a layer of fresh snow blanketing northeastern North Carolina poked the buds of more than a dozen potential officeholders who had waited till the last minute Monday to take root.
By noon - the deadline for filing for office - two formerly unopposed state legislators - Sen. Marc Basnight and Rep. Bill Culpepper - had races on their hands.
And in Pasquotank County, even a Republican began to bloom.
Jerome H. ``Jerry'' Goldschmidt, 52, filed Monday for Pasquotank County Commissioners Chairman Zee Lamb's at-large seat. Goldschmidt, an ophthalmologist, was the only Republican to file in the northeast's largest county, and Lamb is the only county incumbent facing opposition.
``I firmly believe that a two-party system is best for Pasquotank County as well as the United States,'' Goldschmidt said. ``The more choices that the people have, the better off the people will be.''
Lamb also is being challenged from within his own party. Former Elizabeth City Councilman David P. Bosomworth, 64, and Junius W. ``Jay'' Gaddy, 54, both filed as Democrats for Lamb's at-large seat.
``Several people called me up and said, `You ought to run,' '' Bosomworth said as he paid his $10 filing fee Monday.
Bosomworth also shared Goldschmidt's desire to provide options to the electorate. ``I thought when I walked in the door that there wasn't going to be any opposition,'' he said. ``I thought the voters deserved some choices.''
Snow and ice almost froze out last-day filers in some counties. Late Friday, many elections offices got notice from the State Board of Elections that the filing deadline could not be extended if weather forced closures on Monday.
So despite the conditions that closed most schools and shut down several counties, elections officials in Camden, Currituck, Dare and elsewhere made an extra effort to open their doors even when no other county officials reported to work.
The situation prompted Pasquotank County commissioners to ask the General Assembly to allow for extensions when bad weather forces office closings in the future.
``We shouldn't make safety decisions based on whether or not someone's going to be denied a right to file for office,'' said Lamb, who stayed out of the decision to open Pasquotank departments Monday.
``I think there was certainly pressure to open for that political reason rather than the safety issue,'' Lamb said.
Monday brought out new office seekers in several counties, adding length and depth to candidate lists.
Four people filed in Camden, bringing to seven the number of hopefuls seeking the open register of deeds job and pitting six people in a contest for two School Board seats.
In Currituck County, Sligo store owner Sam Walker filed Monday for the Board of Commissioners. He will be up against fellow Democrat and incumbent Gene Gregory in the May primary.
Walker serves on Currituck's Board of Education, where his no-holds-barred comments are a regular feature at meetings. His wife, Frances, is a former county commissioner.
In another contested race, Patricia Ferebee Blowe, 34, filed Monday for the Moyock seat on the Board of Education. Blowe will be up against Janet Taylor, the incumbent.
MEMO: Staff Writers Anne Saita and Catherine Kozak contributed to this story.
List of candidates on Page B3
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATES PRIMARY by CNB