Rick Bryson from Bryson City and Tom Hill from Zirconia face off Tuesday, June 7 in the Congressional Democratic primary election. The winner will face Republican Mark Meadows for Meadows’ District 11 seat in the U.S. Congress in November. Only unaffiliated voters and registered Democrats may cast ballots in the Congressional election but all voters may choose among four candidates for N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice.
The court candidates are Michael R. (Mike) Morgan, Daniel Robertson, Robert H. (Bob) Edmunds and Sabra JeanFaires.
Polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on primary day. Early voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, May 26-27 and Tuesday through Friday, May 31 to June 3. Early voting will be closed May 30 for Memorial Day.
Absentee voting also is available. Inquiries may be made at the Clay County Board of Elections office.
The Bryson name is well-known in Bryson City. The town bears the name of Rick Bryson’s great-grandfather, T.D. Bryson, a colonel in the Confederate Army and a representative in the General Assembly, according to Web reports.
Rick Bryson has served on the Bryson City Board of Aldermen since 2013. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from N.C. State University and his career included a long span as an industrial writer in Ohio.