Finally, spring is here! The dogwoods are in bloom and the Farmer’s Market has opened.
The azaleas must have distracted me for a few days. Suddenly I realized the trees have leaves again.
That pollen is a dead give-away.
Then there are the signs of the primary season — political ads and yard signs. They’re not strictly for spring — some will return in the fall for election season. But they’re a sure sign of an upcoming vote.
Once when my mom was visiting in the fall, she asked why so many houses were for sale. She had mistaken campaign signs for “for sale” signs.
What we really need for this primary are directional signs. In what direction will this candidate take the county or state? With whom would this person align himself or herself? How do we keep track of it all?

Today’s Post has help for you, the Primary Choice special section. In it, we’ve repackaged some of the stories and charts the Post has published in recent weeks about many of this spring’s important primary races — county commissioners, clerk of court, register of deeds, N.C. House, U.S. House and more.
We couldn’t fit every race that’s on the ballot into the section. The eight candidates on the ballot for U.S. Senate, for example, were more than we could chase down.
We also aren’t including a Supreme Court race, but the State Board of Elections has produced a useful voters guide that you might want to check out. It includes information about the one primary involving the N.C. Supreme Court. Robin Hudson, who has been on the court since 2007, faces a challenge from Eric Levinson and Jeanette Doran.
You can find out more about that race in the state voter guide, which was mailed to homes across North Carolina. The guide is paid for with residual funds from the N.C. Public Campaign Fund. More than 4 million were printed at a cost of $233,888, or .06 cents each.
If you don’t have one, you can find the information online at www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/Portals/0/FilesT/VoterGuide2014.pdf.
There are several races for the state Supreme Court and Appeals Court this fall. Hudson’s seat is the only one for which there are more than two people running, hence a primary.
The Supreme Court race is nonpartisan, so Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters can cast ballots. The two top vote-getters will face each other in the election this fall.
Locally, there’s also a nonpartisan primary for Rowan County District Court judge. You’ll find information about that in the Primary Choice section of today’s paper.

The most talked-about race locally is for three seats on the Rowan County Board of Commissioners. The Republican primary involving eight candidates could lead to a second or runoff primary.
Whoever wins that will then face the Democrat and unaffiliated candidates on the November ballot. Don’t be surprised if some names you’ve seen in the news lately are not on the primary ballot. They’ll be on the fall ballot.
Rowan County voters are as energized and engaged as I’ve ever seen them in a non-presidential year. The primary season is in full bloom. Be sure to vote.
Cook is editor of the Salisbury Post. Contact her at ecook@salisburypost.com.