By B.J. Drye Editor

After a flurry of 11 candidates converged on the Stanly County Board of Elections Monday as the filing period opened, only two incumbents chose to seek re-election locally on Tuesday and as of 4 p.m. Wednesday no one had filed locally. Republicans Martha Hughes and Chris Whitley filed to run to keep their seats on Albemarle’s city council, Hughes at-large and Whitley for District 4. They join Democratic Councilman Benton Dry of District 2, who filed on Monday. As anticipated, Democrat Frank McNeill Jr., a former mayor of Aberdeen in Moore County, filed Tuesday to run for the 8th District U.S. House seat occupied by Republican Richard Hudson, who filed Monday. Republican Carl Ford filed Monday to seek the N.C. Senate Dist. 33 seat. In review, filings Monday also included: • County Commission: Joseph Burleson (Dist. 3), Bill Lawhon (Dist. 2) and Scott Efird (Dist. 1), all Republican incumbents, as well as newcomer Republican Lane Furr (at-large); • Republican Wayne Sasser (N.C. House Dist. 67); • Republican Jeff Crisco (Sheriff); • School Board: Republicans John Edwards (Dist. 1) and Anthony Graves (at-large); • Clerk of Superior Court: Incumbent Republican Michael Huneycutt and Republican Michael Greene; and • Incumbent Democrat Ken Goodman (Dist. 66). The filing period continues through noon Feb. 28.