Local

2012 Candidate Forums

WHQR will host and broadcast four candidate forums as part of the 2012 Election Season in the MC Erny Gallery, 254 N. Front Street, #300.Each forum will feature two local journalists asking prepared questions during the first half of the event. The second portion will be dedicated to questions from voters. A live studio audience will be invited to ask questions during this segment. We'll also use questions sent in from listeners.If you have a question for the candidates, please email us (newsdirector@whqr.org) or submit via Twitter with the #whqrforums hash tag and tell us which slate of candidates you'd like to address. We reserve the right to edit the questions for clarity, brevity, and objectivity. Each question must be addressed to all candidates in a particular race. If you can't attend the live event, Tweet along while you tune in or listen or watch the webcast online at 7 PM each night to hear the candidates! (WWAY will also broadcast the forums live on Time Warner Cable. RTV is channel 106, on ATMC, channel 903, on Charter Cable, channel 145 and over-the-air at 3.2.)Tuesday, Oct. 2, 7 PM- New Hanover County CommissionersJonathan Barfield (Current Vice Chairman)Beth DawsonRobert MurrayDr. Derrick HickeyWoody WhiteRob Zapple Thursday, Oct. 4, 7 PM- NC House District 18Representative Susi Hamilton (D)Louis Harmati (R) Monday, Oct. 8, 7 PM - NC Senate District 9Senator Thom Goolsby (R)Deb Butler (D) Thursday, Oct. 18, 7 PM - NC House District 19 & NC House District 20 NC House District 19Ted Davis, Jr. (Current NHC Commission Chair)Emilie Swearingen (Current Kure Beach Councilwoman)NC House District 20Rick Catlin (Current NHC Commissioner) (R)Tom Gale (D)

NHCo. One-Stop Voting Begins Thursday

WHQR

Published April 17, 2012 at 5:36 PM EDT

Thursday is the first day for one-stop early voting for the May primary election in New Hanover County. Voters will select candidates for local, state and federal races for the November general election. They will also get to decide on a state constitutional amendment on same sex-marriage.

WHQR’s Sara Wood reports one-stop voting will not only allow voters to cast their ballots before the primary election day, but those who missed the voter registration deadline will also have a chance to register and vote in one quick trip.

County Board of Election Director Marvin McFadyen says the board will be able to verify new voters in a quick and efficient manner. He says what’s also unique to this primary election is the fact that 17-year-olds who will turn 18 by the general election day will be able to cast their ballots.

“They are nominating the candidate that they will be eligible to vote for in November. However, 17-year-old voters will not have the opportunity to vote on the constitutional amendment simply because that’s an actual election and not a primary nomination.”

McFadyen says the one-stop voting runs tomorrow and ends Saturday May 5, three days before the official primary election day.

One-Stop Voting Information, Locations and Hours:

One-stop voting begins Thursday, April 19 at the New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center Drive, Wilmington. Residents can register and/or vote for primary candidates and on the state constitutional amendment on same-sex marriage Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5pm, and Saturdays from 9 AM to 3 PM.

Three one-stop voting locations open on Monday, April 23. Locations include the Senior Resource Center, 2222 South College Road, Wilmington; New Hanover County Main Library, 201 Chestnut Street; and the Northeast Regional Library, 1241 Military Cutoff Road, Wilmington. Voting hours at these three locations will be Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM.

One-stop voting ends on Saturday, May 5. The primary election day is Tuesday, May 8.

For more election information, please visit the New Hanover County Board Elections web site.