One-stop absentee voting for the May 6 primary election begins Thursday at the Agriculture Center.

Two other one-stop voting sites -- the Moore County Airport terminal and the Old West End School Gym -- will open Monday, April 28.

Hours at the Agriculture Center will be 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Friday. The Agriculture Center is in the Moore County Office Park on Pinehurst Avenue in Carthage.

Hours at the airport and the gym will be 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. One-stop voting will be available on the final Saturday before the election, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at all three sites.

One-stop absentee voting is available to any registered voter, regardless of precinct. The practice has become so popular that the Moore County Board of Elections decided to open two additional one-stop polling places this year. It seems that at times lines had grown so long at the Agriculture Center that voters were waiting longer to mark ballots than the wait time at regular polling places on election day.

GOP CENTER -- Moore County Republicans have established headquarters at 235 East Pennsylvania Ave. in Southern Pines.

The offices in Suite 107 of the Sandhills Executive Building are open on a limited basis for the time being but will be open full time later in the season, according to Joan Thurman, who was responsible for making the arrangements.

In the meantime, Thurman recommends that interested persons call 695-3651 to determine if headquarters are open before making a trip into downtown Southern Pines. A grand opening is being planned for a later date.

EDWARDS -- Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former U.S. Sen. and presidential candidate John Edwards, is joining the Center for American Progress as a senior fellow, according to an item in the Under the Dome column in The News & Observer of Raleigh.

She will work on health care issues and write a new blog, "Wonk Room," for the nonprofit organization.

In a statement, Edwards said she remains concerned about health care throughout the nation and will continue to press for universal health care coverage.

"As many can attest, I have an opinion on everything," Edwards said.

The center was formed in 2003 to conduct policy research and advocacy as an alternative to conservative think tanks. It was founded by John Podesta, former chief of staff to former President Bill Clinton.

An attorney, Elizabeth Edwards emerged as an outspoken supporter of her husband's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination earlier this year. John Edwards is a former resident of Moore County.

MANGUM -- Betty Mangum has no Democratic opposition in her campaign for state House District 52, and her name will not appear on the May 6 ballot.

However, she has already picked up endorsement from the State Employees Association. The association represents 55,000 state workers.

A retired educator, Mangum served a four-year term on the Wake County Board of Commissioners. She and her husband, Al Mangum, now live in Pinehurst. Her husband is manager of WLHC-FM Life 103.1 radio.

In November, her name will appear on the state House ballot in opposition to the winner of the three-way primary contest for the Republican nomination.

District 52 encompasses most of Moore County.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 947-4962 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.