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Republican Robert Thompson was the first candidate to display his political posters, announcing the opening of the 2020 fall political season in the first week of June.

Thompson and Seth Gibbs were nominated by local Republicans without opposition in the Mar. 3 primary for three seats on the Tyrrell County Board of Commissioners. The GOP did not field a third candidate. Thompson is a newcomer to local politics. Gibbs is a former Columbia alderman.

The Democrats, on the other hand, selected Dorothy Spencer, Darryl Liverman, and Tommy Everett as their contenders for the county governing board. Everett is the current board chairman, Liverman is a former sheriff and school board chairman. Spencer is a newcomer.

The three Democrats will compete in a six-way race against Gibbs, Thompson and Unaffiliated candidate Lawrence Swain in the Nov. 3 general election for three seats on the county board of commissioners. Everett and Swain are incumbents.

Spencer led the ticket with 142 votes. Liverman garnered 134, and Everett got 125. Democratic incumbent Carl Willis, who ran fourth, and challengers Joyce Sykes Fitch and Kisha Norman were eliminated. Their totals were: Willis 76, Fitch 70, and Norman 40.

In a three-way race for two seats on the Tyrrell County Board of Education, incumbents Lee Scripture III and Janie Spencer easily won re-election to four-year terms. The board of education election is final. Scripture and Spencer will begin their new terms July 1.

A 1994 federal court order limits Tyrrell residents to one vote, irrespective of the number of seats to be filled, in elections for board of commissioners and for board of education.