CORRECTION

A story on Page 1A Monday incorrectly reported that Lindy Brown is one of two Democrats up for re-election this year on the Wake County Board of Commissioners. The two Democrats who are up for re-election are Betty Lou Ward and Harold Webb.

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Once again, North Carolinians will watch as voters in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina help determine who will be the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees.

That doesn't mean 2008 won't be a big political year in North Carolina.

For starters, North Carolina voters will be asked to pick a new governor to replace Democrat Mike Easley, who is barred from seeking a third consecutive term. Five candidates -- two Democrats and three Republicans -- have already begun the battle to take over when Easley leaves office. A fourth Republican, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, is considering getting into the race.

Voters will also be asked whether U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole should get a second term, and all of the state's 13 seats in the U.S. House will be on the line.

Partisan control of the legislature, the state Supreme Court and, locally, the Wake County Board of Commissioners, will be up for grabs.

So here are eight questions for '08 to help you get a handle on what to expect in the next year:

1. CAN REPUBLICANS BREAK THE DEMOCRATIC STRANGLEHOLD ON THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE?

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and state Treasurer Richard Moore, the Democratic candidates for governor, have greater name recognition and a lot more campaign money than any of the Republican candidates, who include Salisbury attorney Bill Graham, former Supreme Court justice Bob Orr, state Sen. Fred Smith and possibly McCrory.

But Moore and Perdue have been bashing each other over policy questions, the accuracy of one another's resumes, and even the deal in Roanoke Rapids involving country singer Randy Parton and a multimillion-dollar theater.

If the intensity keeps up, the Democratic nominee may be bruised and out some serious cash when it comes time to square off against the Republican nominee.

2. CAN ANYONE BEAT LIDDY? Dole, a Salisbury Republican, shook off the she-ain't-gonna-run rumors a year ago to begin raising money in earnest for a re-election bid.

In recent months, Dole has stepped up her visits to North Carolina. Last summer, she fired up the grill for red-meat voters by helping to block a comprehensive immigration bill, then helped North Carolina sheriff's departments launch a project to deport illegal immigrants across the state.

Although many Democrats grumble that Dole doesn't do enough for the state, polls show that about half the state's voters are satisfied with her work.

The Democrats' big names have been unwilling to take her on. Stepping aside were Easley, Attorney General Roy Cooper and U.S. Rep. Brad Miller.

That leaves three declared Democrats: Jim Neal, a Chapel Hill businessman; state Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro; and John Ross Hendrix, a graphic artist from Cary.

"Who?" you might ask.

Exactly.

3. IS IT TRUE THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RACES IS FOR A SEAT ON THE N.C. SUPREME COURT?

It could be. Republicans outnumber Democrats four to three on the N.C. Supreme Court. The only race pits Associate Justice Robert Edmunds, a Republican, against Democrat Suzanne Reynolds, a law professor at Wake Forest University. A win by Reynolds would shift the panel to a Democratic majority.

Judicial elections in North Carolina are nonpartisan, but party affiliation has become an issue in the race.

In October, N.C. Appeals Court Judge Doug McCullough encouraged Republicans in Haywood County to re-elect Edmunds. He suggested that Edmunds would uphold GOP interests if the court considers a lawsuit over redistricting plans drawn up by the legislature. Edmunds has emphasized his impartiality and distanced himself from McCullough's comments.

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