A Republican has entered the ever-growing field of candidates to replace Alan Jordan as sheriff of Beaufort County.

Ernie Coleman, a former member of the N.C. Highway Patrol, filed his candidacy papers at the Beaufort County Board of Elections late Monday, the firs day of the filing period, which ends at noon Feb. 28. Democrat Al J. Whitney filed late Monday to run for sheriff.

Earlier Monday, Democrats Todd Alligood, Russell Davenport and Gary W. Blount filed as candidates for sheriff.

Jordan, a Democrat, is not seeking re-election.

On Tuesday, incumbent state Sen. Bill Cook, a Republican, filed for re-election in his effort to continue to represent District 1 in the state Senate. Former state Sen. Stan White, a Dare County Democrat, has said he will seek the Democratic nomination for District 1. Cook narrowly defeated White in the 2012 election.

Also late Monday, Michael Bilbro filed to run for the District 6 seat on the Beaufort County Board of Education. Butch Oliver filed to seek the District 8 seat on the school board. Earlier, Terry Williams filed to seek re-election as the District 4 representative on the school board.

In Beaufort County this election cycle, voters will elect members of Congress, N.C. General Assembly members, county commissioners, a sheriff, a clerk of court, school-board members and soil-and-water commissioners.

This year, three seats on the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners are available. Those seats are now held by Stan Deatherage, Ed Booth and Al Klemm. The even-numbered seats on the nine-member Beaufort County Board of Education are available this election cycle. Commissioners and school-board members serve four-year terms.

Ed Booth, an incumbent Democratic county commissioner, filed Monday for re-election. If more than three Democrats file for a seat on the board, they will face one another in a primary in May.

Republican Keith Kidwell filed Monday to run for a seat on the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners. Republican Frankie Waters filed Tuesday for a seat on the board. If more than three Republicans file for a seat on the board, they will face one another in a primary in May.

Incumbent Clerk of Court Marty Paramore, a Democrat, has filed for re-election. He is being challenged for the Democratic nomination for clerk of court by Eva Buck, who has not yet filed but announced her candidacy late last year.

On Tuesday, Republican Jimbo Shiver filed to run for the clerk of court’s position.

Primaries are set for May 6. Early voting for the primaries begins April 24 and ends May 3. The general election is set for Nov. 4, with early voting in the general election beginning Oct. 23 and ending Nov. 1.