PEMBROKE — The two-week candidate filing period for the Nov. 14 Lumbee Tribe election began Monday with a single person filing for one of the seven seats up for grabs.
Larry Chavis filed Monday for the District 6 seat currently occupied by Councilman Richard Jones. The District represents the North Pembroke and Raft Swamp communities.
Chavis is a lifelong resident of Robeson County. He currently resides in Pembroke. Chavis is 55 years old and has been employed with Pepsi Bottling Ventures for the past 37 years. He is married to Gwendlyn L. Chavis and together they gave two sons, two daughters, and eight grandchildren. He attends Tabernacle Baptist Church in Pembroke.
Chavis’ civic duties include the Pembroke Lions Club. He has also been a member of the Lumberton Rescue Squad for 10 years and has previously served on the Lumbee Tribal Council for four, three three-year terms.
“My goals for our Lumbee people then and still today were to see that program services were awarded with great honesty and integrity. I have pledged my continued strong support for due services for our Veterans and continued advocacy for additional quality programs for our elderly and youth,” Chavis stated.
In addition to District 6, seats representing districts 2, 3, 5, 7, 11 as well as 12, which covers Scotland County, Maxton and Alfordsville, are up for reelection. Incumbents for these seats are Sharon Hunt, District 2; Harold Smith, District 3; Carrington Locklear, District 5; Rudy T. Locklear, District 7; Chocajuana Oxendine, District 11; and Annie Taylor, District 12.
As mandated in the Lumbee Tribal Constitution, those eligible to file are required to be active tribal members, reside in the district for at least one year, must be at least 21 years of age and must not have any felony convictions.
The filing fee is $250 and must be done at the Lumbee Tribal Elections Board new located at 171 Commerce Drive, Suite B, Pembroke.
The filing period will remain open until Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. The election will be held from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14.
Other key dates:
— First day to request an absentee ballot: Sept. 11
— Meet the candidates: Sept. 18
— Last day to request absentee ballot: Oct. 13
— Deadline for absentee ballots to be returned/received: Nov. 13
— Enrollment closes books: Oct. 13
— Signatures verified for absentee ballots: Nov. 13
— Absentee ballots counted: Nov. 14
Tomeka Sinclair is the editor of the Laurinburg Exchange. She can be reached at tsinclair@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.