And ... they're off!

At 8:30 a.m. Monday, filing for the Kinston mayor's race and two city council seats opened. Less than 90 minutes later, two candidates had already paid their $10 filing fee and were ready to wage battle for city offices.

B.J. Murphy, a Republican candidate for mayor, and Robert A. Swinson IV, an incumbent Democratic candidate for city council, threw their hats in the ring Monday morning.

Earl Harper, an unaffiliated candidate for mayor, is waiting to see whether the non-partisan decision will be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice. If it is not approved, he said he would gather the signatures of the required 4 percent of registered Kinston voters - approximately 550 to 600, according to Dana King, director of the Board of Elections - to run for the office by the Sept. 18 deadline.

But if it is approved, Harper said he would file when King reopens the process.

"We're just waiting to see," Harper said. "But I think they'll decide something in the next few days."

No other candidates declared their intentions to run for mayor or city council Monday, although filing continues from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until noon July 17.

Murphy originally formed an exploratory committee June 1 and said he was very pleased with the response from the meet-and-greets he held during the past five weeks.

"What I found was that there were a lot of folks who thought like I did: that is, Kinston needs a breath of fresh air," said Murphy, who has never held an elected office but was defeated by current Kinston Mayor O.A. "Buddy" Ritch for the office during 2005. "We need better jobs and we need a reason for our kids to come back home."

He said there were many opportunities for growth in Kinston.

"We are an All-America City and there's a reason for that," Murphy said. "People really do see us - on the horizon - as a city that has a lot of opportunities and a lot of potential."

Harper, a longtime businessman in Kinston, served as a county commissioner for six years before losing the Republican primary to Tommy Pharo during 2008. Since then, he changed his party to unaffiliated.

He's also began his campaign in earnest with billboards and signage all around Kinston. He said the response to his campaign thus far has been "excellent."

"It's been overwhelmingly positive," Harper said. "We want to see success and prosperity, the same thing that everyone else wants to see. People want to see good leadership."

Harper said he brings experience, integrity and commitment to the campaign.

"I think my integrity is above reproach," Harper said. "I have the time and the resources to commit myself to this job."

Swinson is finishing his first term as a city councilman, an office he won during 2005. Although rumors circulated throughout Kinston that he might run for mayor, Swinson said he never considered it.

He said he was more interested in serving Kinston for a second term as a councilman.

"These first four years, I've just gotten my feet wet," Swinson said. "I've been learning a lot and it's been an exciting learning process for me. I think we are headed in the right direction and I want to stay on this team, leading the city in the right direction."

Swinson said he was proud of the accomplishments he's helped the city attain during his first term - and of the goals he has for a potential second term.

"The negotiations with Sanderson (Farms) and Spirit (AeroSystems), those are the key things I'd toot my horn about," Swinson said. "We have a lot of problems looking at us over the next four years, with us not knowing how the economy is going to go. Our main concerns are about utility bills and jobs, so we need to focus on how to get our utility bill problems reduced and try to find more employment."

King said there would be a primary during September (a date hasn't yet been set) leading into the general election Nov. 3.

Bryan C. Hanks can be reached at (252) 559-1074 or at bhanks@freedomenc.com. Check out Bryan's blog at http://bhanks.encblogs.com.