One of North Carolina’s fastest-growing counties saw varying levels of interest in races for elective office ahead of the 2024 election cycle.
Races for two Chatham County Commissioner seats and Register of Deeds saw only one candidate each file for the office, effectively ending the contests nearly a year before the Nov. 5, 2024 general election.
In the 1st Commissioner District, incumbent board chair Karen Howard will return for another term. She has served on the Board of Commissioners since 2014.
In the 2nd District, Amanda Robertson, currently a member of the county’s planning board, was the only candidate to file.
Current 2nd District Commissioner Mike Dasher did not seek reelection to the board. Dasher also current serves as the board’s vice chair.
Register of Deeds Lunday Riggsbee, who has been in office since 2014, filed for another term.
Races for Chatham County’s delegation to the General Assembly will be contested in November 2024.
Democratic state Rep. Robert Reives, the House Minority Leader, filed for another two-year term in Raleigh. He faces Republican Joe Godfrey.
“I am proud to file for reelection and continue serving the people of this community in the North Carolina House of Representatives,” Reives said in a statement after he filed for reelection. “Chatham County is my home and I am proud of the progress we have made, especially over the past few years. I look forward to earning the trust of my constituents to continue building both this District and North Carolina into the best that we can be.”
In the state Senate, Democratic incumbent Natalie Murdock will face Republican Christopher Partain.
Both of Chatham’s state legislative seats favor Democrats.
After redistricting, Chatham County is split nearly evenly between two Congressional Districts. The western and eastern parts of the county remain in the 9th District, currently represented by Republican Richard Hudson.
Hudson has both primary and general election opposition in his district. Lee County resident Troy Terazon filed in the race along with Democrat Nigel Bristow of Richmond County.
Most of Pittsboro and swath across the middle of Chatham County is now represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee.
The redrawn 4th District also includes of all of Durham and Orange counties along with southwestern Wake County.
Two Republicans, Eric Blankenburg of New Hill and Max Ganorkar of Pittsboro, are seeking their party’s nomination in the contest.