2024 election season starts with busy day of filings in Winston-Salem (2024)

Candidates for the N.C. General Assembly and other offices lined up outside the Forsyth County Board of Elections on Monday to file for office, marking the start of the 2024 campaign season.

Paula McCoy, who waged an unsuccessful write-in campaign for the Northeast Ward seat on the Winston-Salem City Council in 2020, was first in line on Monday to make sure her name gets on the ballot. In 2020, she lost an effort to run as an unaffiliated candidate before pursuing her write-in campaign.

This time around, McCoy is filing to run as a Democrat in Northeast Ward, which is now represented by Barbara Burke, who has not filed.

Before the doors opened, a big group of Republican Women gathered for a photo with Joyce Krawiec and Dana Jones. Krawiec is retiring from her District 31 seat in the N.C. Senate and is endorsing Jones for her seat. Jones is the former chairwoman of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education.

Offices to be filled in 2024 range from U.S. President all the way to a seat on the Forsyth County Soil and Water Conservation District board.

The close of the first day’s filing sets up one local primary contest among the many races that will be decided in 2024.

Vivian V. Joiner and Adrian Smith both filed to run for South Ward on the Winston-Salem City Council, setting up a Democratic primary contest. The seat is now held by Democrat John Larson, who has not filed.

Besides McCoy and Jones, others filing Monday included Paul Lowe, a Democrat seeking to return to his District 32 seat in the N.C. Senate, and Democrat Kanika Brown, running for a new term in District 71 in the N.C. House.

Incumbent Republican Jeff Zenger filed to run again in N.C. House District 74, where Democrat Amy Taylor North also filed to run on Monday.

Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines, a Democrat, filed for a new term, as did incumbent Democrat D.D. Adams (North Ward) and incumbent Republican Robert Clark (West Ward).

Democrat Scott Andree-Bowen filed to run for the Southwest Ward seat now held by Democrat Kevin Mundy, who has not filed. Mundy won a face-off between the two in the 2020 Democratic primary.

Three Republicans filed Monday to run for the three available District B seats up for election in 2024 on the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners. They were incumbent Gloria Whisenhunt and non-incumbents Terri Mrazek and Ralf Walters.

Dave Plyler and Richard Linville, the other incumbents, have not filed.

Incumbent Register of Deeds Lynne Johnson, a Democrat, filed for a new term.

Meanwhile, Bo Hines, a Salisbury Republican, filed to run for the 6th Congressional District, which after the 2024 election will include parts of Forsyth, Guilford and Cabarrus counties, as well as all of Davie, Davidson and Rowan counties.

In the 5th Congressional District, which will no longer include Forsyth County after 2024, incumbent Rep. Virginia Foxx filed, as did a Democratic challenger, Chuck Hubbard of Wilkesboro. The district includes Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Watauga and Wilkes counties, as well as part of Guilford County.