Many incumbents seeking re-election Noon Tuesday is the deadline for filing for this year's partisan elections and almost all Beaufort County incumbents have filed to run again except state Rep. JoAnne Gilham. Gilham announced earlier this month she would not run again, honoring a pledge to limit her stint in the state House of Representatives to three two-year terms. Richard Chalk, who ran in 2001 for the Second Congressional District seat after the death of Rep. Floyd Spence, has announced plans to run on the Republican ticket for Gilham's state House District 123 seat. State Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head Island, Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-District 118, Rep. Catherine Ceips, R-District 124, and Rep. Thayer Rivers, D-District 122, have all filed to run again. Rivers will have opposition in the June primary from Curtis Brantley who has filed to run as well. Democrat Benjamin Schwartz of St. Helena Island has also filed as a Democrat to run against Ceips. Beaufort County Council incumbents Herbert Glaze, Bill Ladson and Bill McBride, have all filed to run again as Democrats for their District 8, District 6 and District 5 seats. Former Planning Board member Gerald Dawson filed to run against Ladson in the Democratic primary. County Council Vice Chairman W.R. "Skeet" Von Harten, a Republican, has opposition from Tommy O'Brien in the Republican primary for his District 9 seat and Democrat Reuben Greene. Incumbent Beaufort County Coroner Curt Copeland and Clerk of Court Elizabeth Smith, both Republicans, have also filed to run again. Republican candidates can file with party chairman Doug Robertson at 757-7397 or Jim Ryals at 521-4678. Democrats can file with former party chairman Fred Kuhn Jr. at 524-3373. Filing for nonpartisan offices, including the Beaufort County Board of Education, closes July 15. Click here to return to story: http://www.lowcountrynow.com/stories/032804/LOCfilings.shtml