By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — With filing for the upcoming municipal elections beginning Friday, at least 10 incumbents across the county have confirmed a run for re-election.

A handful of others remain undecided.

Candidates seeking office can begin filing as early as noon on Friday, but they have until noon on July 16. Absentee by mail voting begins Oct. 1, with Oct. 26 being the final day to request an absentee ballot. Absentee by mail ballots must be returned no later than 5 p.m. on election day, which is Nov. 2.

Additionally, the deadline to register to vote in the election will be Oct. 8. Early voting will start Oct. 14 and end Oct. 30 at the Rowan County Board of Elections, located at 1935 Jake Alexander Blvd. West.

Currently, seats are open in all 10 of Rowan County’s municipalities, with all but Landis, Faith and China Grove holding elections for mayor.

Those seeking office must first meet a few requirements upon filing, which includes being at least 21 years old, a registered voter of the county and a resident of the municipality where they’re seeking office. Candidates must file a municipal notice of candidacy and pay the associated fee at the county board of elections office.

Within 10 days of filing the notice or organizing a candidate committee, candidates must file an organizational report for campaign finance reports. While a felony conviction doesn’t necessarily mean a candidate can’t serve, it must be disclosed.

The Post attempted to contact as many candidates as possible to confirm plans for this year’s elections.

Salisbury

This year’s election will be the first time the city of Salisbury holds a separate mayoral and council race. In 2019, council members formed an elections committee to explore the idea along with expanding the number of council members. Multiple public input sessions led to the successful passage of a ballot measure later that year to separate both races.

Mayor Karen Alexander confirmed she will be running for mayor, which has a two-year term. Alexander said her latest term “flew by,” especially with the trifecta of challenges faced, including the pandemic, the resulting economic fallout and social justice issues following the death of George Floyd. But Alexander, who serves as president of the North Carolina League of Municipalities, said she is challenged by the opportunity to serve again as her involvement with the league and various other organizations “helps connect in all the right places.”

Council members also serve a two-year term.

Mayor Pro Tem Al Heggins told the Post she isn’t ready to announce her plans yet.

“Right now, I’m very focused on the duties at hand,” Heggins said.

Council members Tamara Sheffield and David Post said they are still contemplating a run and are undecided on whether it would be the council or mayoral race. If re-elected, it would be Sheffield’s third term and Post’s third term. Post served as mayor pro tem under Heggins’ tenure as mayor from 2017 to 2019.

The Post was not able to reach council member Brian Miller for comment. He’s the longest-serving incumbent on the council, beginning his tenure in 2009. In 2019, he made plans not to seek re-election before making a re-election bid.

Landis

The town of Landis will have two open seats, each with four-year terms. Alderman Tony Corriher said he will seek re-election for his fourth term on the board. As one of the board members to “make some good decisions” such as hiring former interim Town Manager Leonard Barefoot and current Town Manager Diane Seaford, Corriher said he wants to continue progress.

The other seat up for re-election is currently held by Darrell Overcash, who was appointed to former alderman Bobby Brown’s seat after his death in November 2019. Overcash told the Post he hasn’t yet made up his mind regarding re-election, but will “more than likely run.” Like Corriher, Overcash credits Barefoot, Seaford and the current finance team with “bringing us to a real good place.”

“We’ve come a long way in a short period of time and I’d like to continue being a part of it,” Overcash said.

East Spencer

East Spencer will have three seats with four-year terms open on its board. That’s in addition to a two-year mayoral term. Mayor Barbara Mallett said she will seek re-election as the town’s mayor. She was first elected to the board in 2005 and served as the town clerk and finance officer before her election as mayor in 2011.

The current seats held by town aldermen Tony Hillian, Dwayne Holmes and Albert Smith are all up for re-election this year.

China Grove

The China Grove Town Council has three open seats with four-year terms. Council member Arthur Heggins, who was first elected in 2017, told the Post in June he’s seeking re-election for his second term. At that time, council member Don Bringle said he was undecided, and confirmed the same to the Post on Wednesday. Bringle was appointed to the council in 2019 to finish the remainder of Charles Seaford’s term once Seaford was elected mayor, and had previously served as mayor for 12 years.

Brandon Linn currently holds the other seat. If elected, it would be his fourth term.

Spencer

All six of Spencer’s seats on the town board are open for the election in addition to the mayoral race. All of those positions hold two-year terms. Mayor Jonathan Williams confirmed he will seek re-election for mayor in hopes of winning a second term.

Mayor Pro Tem Patti Seacrest also confirmed a run for the board, but “never for mayor,” she joked. As a retired educator and “lifelong learner,” she welcomed the opportunity to continue learning on a board, she said, with members that complement each other well. Additionally, Seacrest said the town is “on the precipice of so many great projects,” including Park Plaza.

Alderman Steve Miller also confirmed a run for the board, crediting the current board members with being “aggressive” in the town’s progress. If re-elected, it would be Miller’s second term.

Current board members Bob Bish, Sharon Hovis, Sam Morgan and Pat Sledge hold the remaining seats up for grabs.

Rockwell

Rockwell has five open seats with two-year terms in addition to a mayoral race, also a two-year term. Longtime Mayor Beauford Taylor told the Post he has not yet decided on a run for re-election, but it would be his 10th term and 20th year serving if he did.

Mayor Pro Tem Chris Cranford and board members Justin Crews, Chuck Bowman, Stephenie Walker and Lizz Johnson currently hold the seats set to expire in December. All won re-election without any competition in the 2019 election.

Faith

Faith is among the municipalities that appoint a mayor and mayor pro tem following their election to the board. Five seats with two-year terms are currently up for grabs, with board member Randall Barger confirming a run for re-election. Those holding the remaining seats include Mayor C.J. Moody, Mayor Pro Tem Matt Lyerly, board member Brian Campbell and Gary Gardner. All won re-election without any competition in 2019.

Granite Quarry

Granite Quarry will have two open seats on the town board in addition to an open seat for mayor in the upcoming election. Mayors serve a two-year term while board members serve four-year terms. Mayor William “Bill” Feather, Mayor Pro Tem John Linker and board member William Cress currently hold those seats. If Feather is re-elected mayor, it would be his fourth term, but he first served on the board in 2003.

Cleveland

The town of Cleveland has three open seats on the board with four-year terms in addition to a two-year mayoral position. Mayor Patrick Phifer confirmed a run for re-election in hopes of continuing multiple projects, including a concert series and sprucing up the town’s lights.

Bryan Little, Gerald Osborne and Richard Taylor currently hold the other open seats.

Kannapolis

In addition to a mayoral race, the city of Kannapolis will have three seats up for grabs. All positions hold a four-year term. Mayor Darrell Hinnant announced in May he would seek a third term as mayor. Current council member Ryan Dayvault announced a run for mayor earlier this year before later announcing a change of heart, adding that he’d finish his current term.

Council members Van Rowell, Dianne Berry and Doug Wilson currently hold the three open seats for the 2021 election.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.