North Carolina voters go to polls for local races

    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Voters in parts of 26 North Carolina counties are choosing local leaders or winnowing down candidates for mayor and city council primary races.
    The polls opened Tuesday morning for about 90 separate primary and general election races stretching from Atlantic Beach in the east to Asheville in the west.
    Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker is seeking a fifth term as mayor of North Carolina’s capital city against three other candidates. Fayetteville, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Hickory, Statesville, Morganton and New Bern also are among larger cities with elections.
    Four seats also are up on the Wake County school board Tuesday following a passionate campaign between supporters and opponents of the district’s student reassignment policies.
   
    (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)