At least nine Democratic candidates are already running to replace Rep. Ty Harrell who resigned Sunday amid a campaign finance investigation.

Wake County Democratic Party Chairman Jack Nichols said nine candidates have declared so far for the District 41 seat:

-- Chris Heagarty, former director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education

-- Janet Schanzenbach, lobbyist for mental health programs and rehabilitation facilities

-- Gale Adcock, Cary Town Council member

-- John Shaw, a retired electrical engineer and Democratic Party activist

-- Matt Danielson, former county Democratic Party vice chair

-- Linda Gunter, former state senator and lobbyist for N.C. Association of Educators

-- Christopher Headen, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Durham

-- Steve Rao, director of business development at Datacraft Solutions

-- Terry L. "Doc" Thome

Democratic Party precinct chairs and party leaders within the district will meet by Oct. 20 and vote on Harrell’s replacement. When a lawmaker resigns, his or her party selects the replacement, and the governor must appoint that person.

Tar Heel Democrats next week will next week have their first opportunity in a generation — to cast their electoral ballots for president.

The 15 electors will gather in the Capitol on Monday at noon — along with members of the Electoral College across the country — to cast their ballot for Democrat Barack Obama for president, Rob Christensen reports.

This will be the first time since 1976 that Tar Heel Democrats can participate. That was the last time that a Democrat carried the state — Jimmy Carter.

The electors were chosen by the state Democratic Party from each of the state's Congressional districts and for its two Senate seats.

Those participating will be former U.S. Attorney Janice Cole of Hertford, Louise Sewell of Smithfield, Virginia Tillett of Manteo, former state legislator Linda Gunter of Cary, Timothy Futrelle of Boone, Wayne Abraham of Greensboro, Armin Jancis of Warsaw, Wendy Wood of Concord, Michael Cognac of Marvin, Dan DeHart of Morganton, Harley Caldwell of Waynesville, Samuel Spencer of Davidson, Patricia Hawkins of Raleigh, David Crawford of Mount Airy, and Kara Hollingsworth of Fayetteville.

State law has required electors to vote for the candidate who wins the popular vote since Dr. Lloyd Bailey of Rocky Mount angered Republicans in 1968 when he cast his ballot for American Party presidential candidate George Wallace instead of Republican Richard Nixon.

Some of John Edwards' delegates feel betrayed.

As the countdown to the Democratic National Convention gets underway, some of the volunteers attending on behalf of the former presidential candidate say they are disappointed by revelations of his affair with Rielle Hunter.

Former Cary teacher Linda Gunter had spent a month trudging through the snows of New Hampshire for Edwards and led the cheers in 2004 when he accepted the vice presidential nomination.

"My bubble of enthusiasm for presidential politics was really deflated," says Gunter, 58. "Some people might get discouraged from getting involved because they really believed in him, and he let them down."

Some are angry that Edwards continued to campaign even after the National Enquirer first reported the affair.

"There is a feeling that it was very selfish of him to pursue the presidency knowing that this skeleton was in his closet," says delegate Vinod Thomas, 32, of Cornelius. "The Democratic Party would be in a very tough position now if John Edwards was our nominee." (Char-O)

A former volunteer for John Edwards says he couldn't overcome the star power of U.S. Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Linda Gunter, a retired social studies teacher from Cary, volunteered for Edwards in New Hampshire for a month in 2004 and a week in 2008. She said his campaign was much better organized and his platform better detailed the second time. 

"I was so proud of him in New Hampshire because he was the only candidate who had a book on all of his issues, had things really well thought-out," she told Dome. "It was just like he was overwhelmed by the star power of Obama and Clinton."

Gunter, 58, who now works as a legislative liaison for the N.C. Association of Educators, organized poll workers, talked with parents picking up their kids at school, made phone calls to supporters and worked the polls in 17-degree weather.

She said she was disappointed about Edwards' decision, but she hopes he could have a future in the Cabinet of a Democratic president, but she says he could continue working on poverty.

"He can still talk about those things as a private citizen," she said.