Those interested in running for office don't have long left to wait.

The filing period begins Monday at noon, according to Scotland County Board of Elections Director Dell Parker.

Up for grabs this year are a 16 local seats, including those currently filled by the chairs and and vice chairs of both the school board and the county commissioners, along with all U.S. representatives, a third of U.S. senators, including Sen. Richard Burr, four N.C. court of appeal judges and a seat on the N.C. Supreme Court.

Parker said potential 2010 contenders may want to stop by the Board of Elections office, even seasoned candidates, as some changes have been made in election law.

The biggest change is the lowering of the fundraising threshold for reporting purposes.

Last year, candidates were only required to file a detailed finance report if they spent in excess of $3,000; as of Dec. 1, that limit was been slashed to $1,000.

So far, only a handful of incumbents and a challenger who has run in years past have contacted the local election office about running, Parker said.

The filing period runs through noon on Feb. 26.

Local seats

Three members of the Scotland County Board of Commissioners are up for election: Board Chairman J.D. Willis, Stewartsville District; Guy McCook, Stewartsville District; and Vice-Chairman Betty Gholston, Spring Hill District. County residents vote on all three seats, but only those who live in those districts may run for those seats. The filing fee is $63.

Four members of the Scotland County Board of Education are up for election this year: Chairman Jimmy Bennett, At-Large; Vice-Chairman Mary Evans, Stewartsville District; Calvin Newton, At-Large; and Paul Rush, Stewartsville District. Scotland County residents vote on all seats, but only those in the Stewartsville District can run for a Stewartsville seat and only those who live outside the Stewartsville district can run for the At-Large seats. The filing fee is $10.

Both the Sheriff and the Clerk of Superior Court for District 16-A are up in 2010. Shep Jones is the county's current sheriff while Phillip McRae is the current clerk of court. The filing fee for sheriff is $720 and the filing fee for clerk of court is $824.

Two district judges are up for reelection this year: Regina M. Joe and William C. McIlawin. Filing fee for district court judge is $1,094.

All three seats the N.C. General Assembly that represent Scotland County – Senate District 25, currently held by Sen. Bill Purcell, and Representative Districts 46 and 46, held by Reps. Doug Yongue and Garland Pierce, respective – are up for election with a $207 filing fee.

The Soil & Water District Supervisor seats of Edward T. Carmichael and T. G. Gibson are also up this year, but filing for these seats run from noon on June 14 to noon on July 2. The filing fee is $5.

State and national

U.S. Senator Richard Burr and U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, of the 8th Congressional District, are up for reelection. Filing fees for these seats are $1,740.

Also up are Supreme Court Associate Judge Edward T. Brady and Court of Appeal Judges Ann Marie Calabria, Rick Elmore, Sanford L. Steelman, Jr. and Martha A. Geer. Filing fees are $1,244 for the Supreme Court seat and $1,315 for each appellate seat.

Important dates:

Filing period

Feb. 8 – Filing period begins at noon

Feb. 26 – Filing period ends at noon

Primary

March 15 – Mail-in absentee ballots become available

April 9 – Voter registration deadline

April 15 – Absentee One-Stop Voting begins

April 26 – Last day to request mail-in absentee ballot

May 1 – One-Stop voting ends at 1 p.m.

May 3 – Mail-in Absentee Ballot deadline

May 4 – Election day

May 11 – Canvass day

General Election

Aug. 4 – Deadline for write-in candidates

Sept. 3 – Mail-in absentee ballots are ready

Oct. 8 – Voter registration deadline

Oct. 14 – Absentee One-Stop Voting begins

Oct. 26 – Last day to request mail-in absentee ballot

Oct. 30 – One-Stop voting ends at 1 p.m.

Nov. 2 – Election Day

Nov. 12 – Canvass Day