On the same day that filing began for the 2020 primaries, some clarity was provided for the U.S. congressional races in North Carolina when a court ruled that a Republican-configured map that was recently drawn would remain in play as there simply wasn’t time remaining to scrutinize it and potentially draw another.

The primary, which is in March of 2020, is just four months away.

So the District 9 incumbent, Republican Dan Bishop, our congressman for just a couple of months after winning a special election, will have a shot to represent us for another term, this one the full two years. The district, we believe, continues to favor Republicans, as do so most in North Carolina, which has made a purple state decidedly red in the U.S. House.

Change, however, is imminent elsewhere — and we welcome it, conditionally.

Right now it appears that two long-serving members of the Robeson County Board of Commissioners will not seek re-election, Raymond Cummings, who has served since 1996, the longest of any on the board, and Jerry Stephens, who has served since 2007, the fourth longest tenure on the board, have signaled they will not run again. Combined, that is almost four decades of experience.

We know things can change, but Cummings battled health issues earlier this year, and his attention might be best elsewhere. Stephens appears willing to step aside to clear the path for a run by his wife.

The other two commissioners up for election are Tom Taylor, first elected in 2000, and Roger Oxendine, who was appointed to the board in 2006 and has won re-election three times.

There is also the potential for great change on the Board of Education for the Public Schools of Robeson County as seven seats are up for grabs in the primary, four district seats as well as all three at-large.

The at-large incumbents are John Campbell, Randy Lawson and Brian Freeman, while Charles Bullard holds the District 4 seat, Craig Lowry the District 5 seat and Steve Martin the District 7 seat. District 1 is vacant following the resignation of Loistine DeFreece, who has already filed for an at-large seat.

The election is likely to become a referendum on the school board’s decision to close some schools and consolidate others, a necessary move that we favored. We know, however, that it will become a campaign issue. In low-turnout elections, which are typically the case in Robeson County, a great motivator to cast a ballot is anger, and there is plenty of that, especially in the southern part of the county.

In the General Assembly, our belief is that Sen. Danny Britt, who represents District 13, and Rep. Brenden Jones, whose District 46 includes part of Robeson, are relatively safe. Both are Republicans, and both have delivered, surely because they have shown themselves to be tireless and determined, but also because they are part of the party that rules in Raleigh.

Rep. Charles Graham, however, is likely to face a challenge as he seeks a sixth term. Graham is a Democrat and a Lumbee, and we believe has been an effective member of the House, someone who has been able to work with either party. But his District 47 now includes more of Lumberton, cracking the door for a challenger, so we will have to wait and see.

We believe the 2020 local elections offer the opportunity for tsunami-like change in leadership; in fact, on the county board, change appears guaranteed.

What is less certain is that the new leadership will be improved. For that, we need capable and qualified candidates. It’s been a while since the door was wider for those with an interest.