The Moore County Board of Elections has almost completed work on the latest election, but the filing season is still under way.

Election of two members of the Soil and Water Conservation Board of Supervisors will be held during the Nov. 2 general election, but the filing period did not open until June 14.

As of Friday morning, the two seats on the board had attracted no takers, but folks keenly interested in conservation issues have until the deadline at noon on July 2. The filing fee for the nonpartisan election is $5.

Seats to be filled this year are those held by veteran board members Albert Troutman and Larry Holder.

HEARING - A public hearing will be held July 19 to consider closeout of the 2006 Community Development Block Grant Concentrated Needs project in Addor.

The hearing will be held during the 6 p.m. meeting of the Moore County Board of Commissioners.

The closeout hearing is a requirement of the program that provides federal funds channeled to the county through the Community Services Division of the N.C. Department of Commerce.

The July 19 meeting is the only regular meeting scheduled in July for the commissioners. The board doesn't meet on the first Monday of that month because of the July Fourth holiday.

However, the board will meet on July 8 with the Pinehurst Village Council at the village hall.

REFERENDUM? -- If the state House of Represent-atives agrees with the state Senate on HB 1307, North Carolina voters may find a referendum issue on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

The question would be to decide if convicted felons should be allowed to run for sheriff.

The bill passed the Senate 46-1 Wednesday and now goes to the House, where a three-fifths majority is required. The N.C. Sheriffs' Association supports the bill.

Supporters say that six convicted felons filed for sheriff this year, but none of the candidates succeeded in the May primary elections.

8TH DISTRICT -- That contentious runoff election for the Republican nomination for the 8th Congressional District ended in victory for Harold Johnson, the retired sportscaster from the Charlotte area.

Johnson claimed 61 percent of the votes to defeat the controversial Tim D'Annunzio, a Raeford businessman who led the GOP ticket on May 4.

D'Annunzio was a colorful campaigner who poured more than $1.3 million into his campaign coffers and attracted a following with his "machine gun socials" and other unusual tactics.

However, his background of domestic problems and other legal woes turned the party leadership against him.

The state's entire Republican congressional delegation endorsed Johnson, as did state GOP Chairman Tom Fetzer. Former Gov. Jim Holshouser, of Moore County, was among the first to announce his endorsement of Johnson.

The runoff winner will challenge incumbent Democrat Larry Kissell in November. There is also a Libertarian candidate, Thomas Hill.

At one time Moore County was part of the 8th District, which stretches from Charlotte to Fayetteville. For the past several years Moore County has been part of the 6th District, served by veteran Congressman Howard Coble.

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