CHARLOTTE, NC -- Monday was the start of the filing period for candidates running for office in North Carolina.
A crowd packed the lobby of the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections at the noon start time.
"Never have I done anything like this," said Connie Green-Johnson, a 70-year-old first time candidate.
She's running for county commission's 6th district, currently represented by republican Bill James.
She was the first to fill out her paperwork at the board of elections on Monday.
"It’s overwhelming, but I'm excited to do what I know I need to do," she said.
Green-Johnson was one of many first-timers at the board of elections Monday. With redistricting and retirements, there are potentially a slew of new candidates running for office.
Races with a larger number of candidates could be drawn out over the 2012 year, as it will be harder to achieve the 40 percent required to win the May primary, resulting in a July run-off election.
"Chances are you might not get to 40 percent the first time, so hence, you would have that second primary, and that could be July 17th," said Michael Dickerson, Mecklenburg County Board of Elections Director.
"Voter turnout is pretty light in second primaries," he said.
Dickerson estimated 20-25 people will file paperwork on the first day of the filing period, which ends February 29th.
