State Senate candidate Mike Woodard is tardy with some financial paperwork. His campaign organization has yet to file an organizational report with the state Board of Elections that was due two months ago.

Amy Strange, campaign finance compliance specialist with the state Board, said  Monday that her office had attempted to contact Woodard's campaign and had no response.

Woodard said he received a written notice about the missing report last Friday. The notice gave him 30 days to comply, he said.

So far, Southern Durham Development has spent $54,000 to promote four county commissioner candidates through the Durham Partnership for Progress Super PAC.

Partnership for Progress is backing incumbent Commissioners Joe Bowser, Brenda Howerton and Michael Page for re-election, and candidate Rickey Padgett. The four support Southern Durham's proposed 751 South subdivision in southern Durham.

According to a PAC report filed today with the Durham County Board of Elections, the company donated $50,000 for services from Nexus Strategies, a Raleigh political consulting firm, and $1,500 for The Marketing Department, a Raleigh online advertising firm.

Previously, Durham Partnership for Progress reported receiving $2,600 from Southern Durham Development, $2,500 of which went for services by a Raleigh opinion-polling company.

Partnership for Progress has also opened a Web site, http://bit.ly/J54Ba0. According to the site, the Super PAC "intends to be active in the years to come."

The glossy, full-color political flier appearing in Durham mailboxes this week brings local politics into the "Super PAC" era on behalf of the controversial 751 South subdivision project.

The flier endorses incumbent county commissioners Joe Bowser, Brenda Howerton and Michael Page, and aspiring commissioner Rickey Padgett in the May 8 primary election. All four support the 1,300-home mixed-use project in southwest Durham County.

The Durham County Republican Party is in favor of the proposed "marriage amendment" to the North Carolina constitution, which goes to voters in the May 8 primary election.

In a resolution sent today to the Durham County Board of Commissioners and the Durham City Council, the party announced its support for Amendment 1, which specifics that "marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be recognized or valid in this State."

Among their reasons for supporting the amendment, the resolution states that it:

• "Does not diminish the existing rights and liberties of North Carolinians";
• "Does not limit the rights of private citizens to contract";
• "Protects us from fundamental change in our law by the judiciary or the legislature without a vote of the people";
• "Can be changed by the citizens of North Carolina in the future."

The resolution also states "the traditional institution of marriage is a bulwark for liberty and the common good"; and makes several references to a Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling interpreting that state's constitution to permit same-sex marriage and the Massachusetts legislature's refusal to put the question to a popular vote.

Durham Republicans approved the resolution at its March party convention.

Prospective developers of the controversial 751 South subdivision have created a political action committee of their own in time for the county commissioner elections.

On Friday, The Durham Partnership for Progress registered with the Durham County Board of Elections as an "independent expenditure political committee."

Treasurer is Rhonda Hall Sisk of 9222 N.C. 751, a residence owned by Southern Durham Development at the 751 South site that is also the company's registered office. Assistant treasurer is Tyler Morris, a partner in Southern Durham Development.

The filing forms list a $100 cash donation from Southern Durham Development as well as the company's in-kind contribution of $2,500 for services of Public Policy Polling, a Raleigh survey and robocall company.

In a formal statement, Southern Durham President Alex Mitchell said the PAC will make candidate endorsements "in the near future."

Three incumbent county commissioners running for re-election have been strong 751 South supporters and have said during the campaign that they would continue that support: Joe Bowser, Brenda Howerton and Michael Page. Candidate Rickey Padgett has said he supports the project "100 percent."

Mitchell's statement described the Partnership for Progress's purpose: "to foster a political environment in Durham that encourages equal opportunity, job creation, smart growth, new business and industry, affordable housing and education while protecting property rights."

It also alluded to "an alternate political action committee" that has made opposition to 751 South "their primary election issue." The Durham People's Alliance endorsed four candidates who oppose the project – Fred Foster Jr., Wendy Jacobs, Will Wilson and incumbent Ellen Reckhow" and listed candidates' positions on the project among the factors considered in making the PA's endorsements – along with "tax fairness, remedies for homelessness ... responsible government and the Constitutional Amendment."

Durham's big three political-action organizations have made their endorsements of local candidates in the upcoming primary, with two state Senate candidates the only consensus picks.

District 20 incumbent Democrat Floyd McKissick is favored by the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, the Durham People's Alliance and the Friends of Durham over challenger Ralph McKinney. No Republican is running, so the primary will decide who holds the seat for the next two years.

All three also favor City Councilman Mike Woodard over attorney Kerry Sutton for the new Senate District 22. The winner faces Republican Milton Holmes in November.

Last night's forum for county commissioner candidates went off smoothly, with civility and decorum all around.

But candidate Steve Hopkins (right), an old-time community organizer, did spark up the proceedings a bit in his closing comments:

"I'm  a community activist," he said, "my campaign is about those who don't have, the homeless folks, the ex-offenders the unemployed. ... I'm loud and I'm very unconventional and these folks need me. ...

"You all know me, I'm stubborn ... you have a chance to give those who don't have a voice a voice, and it ain't going to be pretty because the community ain't pretty. ... I'm an ex-con, I'm an ex-drug user, I know what they have to deal with. ... It ain't going to be pretty but it can be done."

Fourteen candidates signed up to run for Durham County commissioner during the February filing period. A 15th is trying to get into the race – later.

Omar Beasley (left), who registered a campaign committee for a commissioner run in January but never filed as a candidate, plans to get his name on the ballot by petition.

"He's got until the end of June to give us 7,000 valid signatures," Board of Elections Director Michael Perry said this morning.

If successful, Beasley would bypass the May 8 primary and go into the November general election as an unaffiliated candidate, although he is registered Democratic. All 14 of the filed candidates are Democrats.

Unless a non-Democrat candidate gets on the November ballot, the commissioner election will be de facto decided by the primary and, if necessary, a June runoff.

Beasley, a track coach and bail bondsman, is soliciting online "e-signatures," which, according to a campaign press release, are permissible under state law. His web site is www.beasley4countycommissioner.com.

Three more citizens entered the county commissioner field in the last hours of filing season today, giving Durham County voters 14 candidates for five seats.

Sheriff's Capt. Rickey Padgett, who announced that he would run in early 2010, was the next to last to officially file – signing in just ahead of Elaine Hyman, who is completing her last day on the job as interim director of Durham County 's Human Resources Department.

John Owens, a political newcomer who registered a campaign committee in January but had not specified an office he was seeking, also filed today.

All 14 candidates filed for the May 8 Democratic primary. Since no Republicans filed for the commissioners race, the winners will be determined by the primary or by a possible runoff June 26.

Incumbent County Commissioner Joe Bowser filed for re-election today, while previously announced candidates Fred Foster and Stephen Hopkins officially joined the race.

Today's three filings brings the total field to 11 candidates for the five positions on the Durham Board of County Commissioners, including all but one of the incumbents.

Commissioner Pam Karriker, elected last summer to serve out the remaining term of retired Commissioner Becky Heron, said then that she would not be a candidate this year.

One contest has appeared in the race for School Board, with John Tarantino, who has previously run for City Council, School Board and state Senate without success, opposing incumbent Leigh Bordley for an at-large seat. District A incumbent Minnie Forte-Brown and District B incumbent Heidi Carter are unopposed for re-election so far.

Filing ends at noon Wednesday.