State senate candidate Tony Moore is being challenged not just by his competitor, but by a citizen.

Calvin Henderson of Winterville and President of the Pitt County branch of the NAACP is challenging Moore's residency for the District 5 Senate seat.

Henderson asked the State Board of Elections to remove Moore from the May primary ballot in which the senate seat will be decided against another Democrat and former senator Don Davis.

Henderson claims Moore hasn't lived at his Church street home in Winterville long enough to claim residency for the senate seat. The state constitution says a candidate has to reside in the district a year immediately before the election.

WITN spoke with Moore who says he has only lived on Church street since January, but he was assured when he filed he met qualifications to run for District Five because his old address is in what was considered District Five before lines were re-drawn last year- and courts still have not finalized the new districts.

The seat represents portions of Pitt, Wayne, and Lenoir counties and all of Greene County.

The State Elections Board is holding a special meeting at 2 p.m. Wednesday to appoint a panel for a hearing which must be scheduled within five days of receiving the challenge.