The North Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, Dec. 8 closed filing for the 2022 election, as well as delayed the primary from March 8, 2022 to May 17, 2022.

According to the schedule in place until the NC Supreme ruled, the Greensboro City Council primary was going to be held on March 8 and the general election either on April 26 or May 17, depending on if there was a runoff in any of the 14 congressional races or the US Senate race.

The NC Supreme Court ruling gave no indication of when the municipal general elections in the state, following the May 17 primary, might be held.

What that means for now is that the candidates running for City Council who filed by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 8 are filed to run in the May 17 primary, and those who have not filed will have to wait for the court to set a new filing period.

In the District 5 City Council race, both declared candidates filed on Wednesday, Dec. 8, setting up a rematch of the 2017 race. 

District 5 City Councilmember Tammi Thurm and Tony Wilkins, a former District 5 city councilmember, both filed on what nobody knew would be the last day filing for a while.

Of course, when filing reopens more candidates could file for the District 5 City Council seat, but Thurm and Wilkins, because of their experience have to be considered the frontrunners.

In 2017, Thurm was the challenger and Wilkins was the incumbent.  In 2022, the roles are reversed with Thurm the incumbent and Wilkins the challenger.

Wilkins was originally appointed to the District 5 City Council seat in 2012 to replace Trudy Wade, who resigned after being elected to the North Carolina state Senate.

Wilkins then won two-year terms in 2013 and 2015.

In 2017, the City Council terms were changed to four years and Thurm, in her first run for public office, defeated Wilkins.

Because that 2017 four-year term has been extended until after the general election, the only two candidates who are currently filed in this race have both served over four years on the City Council.

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