The primary field was increased by one this week when Jeremy Neal filed for the District 3 commission seat, currently held by Robert Lee Swanson.

Neal, 32, is seeking the Republican party nod to take on the Democratic nominee in November.

“This is the first public office I’ve ever run for,” said Neal, who manages a body shop and lives in White Level.

“One of the reasons I decided to run is because a lot of folks here feel like we’re being left out of some of the decisions being made,” Neal said.

Neal said he will work to prevent higher taxes and wasteful spending. He also said he’d work to repeal the $45 trash tax and other fees that are a burden to working families and seniors on fixed incomes.

“Your voices will be heard and not fall on deaf ears,” Neal said in a released statement.

Neal is married and has a son and another child on the way.

Neal, who lives a few miles from Swanson, said the District 3 seat has been mired by ugly campaigns in the past and that will not be part of his campaign efforts.

“My campaign will not be this way,” Neal said. “I’m not running because I have something against Robert Lee.

“I just want to see a benefit for the community and the people who live around me.”

The filing period for the May 6 primary opened Monday, Feb. 11. Filing closes Feb. 29, at noon.

The following had filed for office at press time on Feb. 22:

• County Commissioner District 7, at-large: Shane Mitchell, (D), age 36, Franklinton; Willie F. Bartholomew (D), 72, Louisburg.

• Register of Deeds: Linda H. Stone (D), 57, Louisburg.

• School Board District 2, Seat 2: Beverly Long Joseph, 49, Kittrell.

• School Board District 4, Seat 4: Mary H. Vollmer, 41, Bunn.

• School Board District 6, at-large: Dannie T. Williams, 49, Louisburg.

• N.C. State Senate District 7: Doug Berger (D), 47, Youngsville.

• N.C. State House District 49: Lucy T. Allen (D), 66, Louisburg; Keith Shearon (R), 50, Youngsville.

• County Commissioner District 1, Seat 1: Sidney E. Dunston (D), 64, Louisburg; Stephen Phillips (R), 30, Louisburg.

• County Commissioner District 3, Seat 3: Robert Lee Swanson (D), 73, Louisburg; Jeremy Neal (R), 32, Louisburg

• County Commissioner District 5, Seat 5: Don Lancaster (R), 50, Youngsville.

Voters in Franklin County will also be deciding on a $53-million school bond for facilities, the majority of which would go toward the construction of a new high school to replace the existing Franklinton High School.

At press time, the only contested primary race is for the county commission District 7 seat between two Democrats.

School board seats are non-partisan, and whoever wins the primary will hold those seats.