From Oak Island to Duck, there are hundreds of mayoral races and local council seats up for elections along the North Carolina coast. The biggest contest is the mayoral race in Wilmington.
Some elections planned for this year have been postponed to next year because of redistricting. Every 10 years, towns and cities that elect local leaders by district have to redraw their maps after the Census Bureau releases new population numbers. But the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the count, and the numbers came out much later than expected.
The elections in New Bern, Greenville, Jacksonville, Elizabeth City and in some other smaller towns have been delayed to next year.
Statewide, there are more than 930 local elections scheduled for Nov. 2, many with early voting. More than 200 have been postponed to 2022.
Early voting for local races runs until Oct. 30.
In Wilmington, the mayoral election is on this year, with two candidates very familiar to Port City politics. Incumbent Bill Saffo is running for his seventh term as mayor against Harper Peterson, a former state senator, who also served as Wilmington’s mayor from 2001 to 2003.
Here are the elections on the ballot this year for North Carolina’s coast counties and information on how to vote in each county:
New Hanover
In New Hanover County, there are mayor and council or commission seats up for election on Nov. 2 in Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach. Each of the elections has options for early voting.
Get more details on voting from the New Hanover County Board of Elections.
Brunswick
Nov. 2 will be a busy day in Brunswick County with 45 elections for mayor, town councils and boards and other seats. Those elections include mayoral races for Southport, Oak Island, Carolina Shores and Bolivia. All Brunswick County elections have early voting options.
Get more details on voting from the Brunswick County Board of Elections.
Pender
In Pender County, there are mayoral and commission elections in Burgaw, Atkinson, St. Helena and Watha. Surf City has a council seat up for grabs, and there’s one open seat on the Topsail Beach Commission. Pender County has early voting for all elections this year.
Get more details on voting from the Pender County Board of Elections.
Columbus
Columbus County has 15 local elections on Nov. 2, including mayors for Fair Bluff and Cerro Gordo and town council in Tabor City. City council elections in Whiteville have been postponed until 2022. Columbus County does have early voting.
Get more details on voting from the Columbus County Board of Elections.
Bladen
There are 11 municipal elections across Bladen County Nov. 2, including mayoral races in Tar Heel and Bladenboro. Most Bladen County elections have early voting, but elections in Tar Heel do not.
Get more details on voting from the Bladen County Board of Elections.
Onslow
Onslow County has nine elections coming up on Nov. 2, including for mayor of North Topsail Beach and Swansboro. Surf City, which is partially in Onslow County, also has a council election. Jacksonville city council elections have been postponed until next year. Onslow County has early voting for the 2021 elections.
Get more details on voting from the Bladen County Board of Elections.
Dare
Dare County has 11 mayoral and council or commissioner member elections on Nov. 2. The elections are in Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Manteo, Southern Shores and Duck. Early voting is available.
Get more details on voting from the Dare County Board of Elections.
Carteret
In Carteret County, there are 19 local elections, including mayor and council or commission seats in Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle and Morehead City. Though there’s only one candidate for mayor this year in Morehead City. Carteret County has early voting available.
Get more details on voting from the Carteret County Board of Elections.
Pitt
Elections in Pitt County’s biggest city, Greenville, have been postponed until 2022. But there are still 18 elections for mayor and board seats, including in Winterville, Fountain and Farmville. All Pitt County elections have early voting options this year.
Get more details on voting from the Pitt County Board of Elections.
Pamlico
There are 15 elections in Pamlico County on Nov. 2, including mayoral races in Oriental, Arapahoe and Bayboro. There is no early voting in Pamlico County.
Get more details on voting from the Pamlico County Board of Elections.
Beaufort
Beaufort County has 15 elections for local council and mayors on Nov. 2, including mayoral races in Little Washington and Belhaven. All Beaufort County elections, except in Pantego, have early voting options, according to the State Board of Elections.
Get more details on voting from the Beaufort County Board of Elections.
Jones
Jones County has six local elections Nov. 2 for mayor and town commission seats in Maysville, Pollocksville and Trenton. Early voting is available for Jones County elections.
Get more details on voting from the Jones County Board of Elections.
Tyrrell
In Tyrrell County, Columbia has elections for mayor and alderman on Nov. 2. There is no early voting.
Get more details on voting from the Tyrrell County Board of Elections.
Washington
In Washington County, elections for Plymouth council seats and mayor have been delayed to 2022. But there are elections for mayor and council in Roper and commissioner in Creswell.
Get more details on voting from the Washington County Board of Elections.