Your vote is important, and we urge you to cast it.
Early voting in Sampson County for the 2025 Municipal Election will begin this Thursday, Oct. 16, at noon, at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center — the only location open for one-stop — leading up to Election Day on Nov. 4. There are several contested races within our local municipalities while in others only incumbents will be on the ballot, meaning for some it will be status quo, while other towns are poised to welcome new leadership should voters lean that way.
One-stop voting will extend until Saturday, Nov. 1. Starting Thursday, early voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. There will be no weekend voting, with the exception of the final day, Nov. 1, when voting will extend from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There are newcomers as well as long-time council members and town commissioners on this year’s ballot, something that has become the norm around Sampson County of late.
Whether a long-time public servant or a newcomer, we applaud those who are willing to give up their time and talents for the local towns and municipalities around us, becoming decision-makers and representative of each town’s constituents.
Even in the smallest of towns, being a public servant isn’t always an easy task, and many times it ends up being thankless work only noticed by a handful of people.
More often than not, the only time these local elected officials hear from someone is when they make a decision that somehow winds up unpopular among townspeople.
Yet, election cycle after election cycle, there are those willing to serve, and we are very thankful they are.
This year, Salemburg, Garland and Roseboro have newcomers looking to unseat incumbents in the county’s only contested races; and, in Garland, we have the current mayor vying for a seat on the town board, while a town commissioner will take over the mayoral post unless an unexpected write-in campaign occurs.
Despite any previous successes or setbacks we’ve had in our towns, we always see it as a positive when the status quo in prominent positions is challenged at any level. Too often, it appears the same names show up on the ballot, with little change in leadership election cycle after election cycle.
It’s not necessarily a negative development, but with the lack of competition, there is always the fear of complacency. We hope that is not be the case. Some towns will stay the same in leadership, but likewise, that does not mean they are staying stagnant.
Regardless of whether residents seek an elected post — the majority of us won’t — we don’t want that to mean they think they don’t have a voice, that their concerns are not taken into consideration and that they are null and void in the decisions of their towns. They are, and we hope that their elected officials will encourage public input, just as we do.
And, starting Thursday, we hope those who live in incorporated areas across Sampson will throw their support behind the men and women who have chosen to lead, and also serve as the voice of the constituents.
While some say they have refused to vote in certain races because they didn’t have a candidate they wanted to support, the realization is their non-vote is actually a yes vote for an opposing candidate, again giving the muscle away to someone who they, perhaps, believe to be unworthy of the civic responsibility they could be elected to carry out.
That’s why we have always supported early voting and encouraged residents to take part in the window of opportunity extended to give individuals ample time to cast a ballot. Even once that window closes, polls will open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
In truth, every vote matters, and every vote makes a mark on the cities and towns where leaders are being chosen.
As always, we hope you will be an active participant in the electoral process, choosing to let your voice be heard.
See you at the polls.