By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — After one full week of filing, a total of 30 candidates have thrown their names into this year’s municipal elections.

Seats are set to expire in December in each of the county’s municipalities. Those vying for one have until July 16 to file a notice of candidacy for the Nov. 2 election.

In Salisbury, Mayor Karen Alexander remains unopposed in the mayoral race, and Jonathan Barbee, who ran for school board last year, remains the only candidate filed for city council. All four council seats are up for re-election, and none of the current council members have filed. Though, incumbent Brian Miller says he won’t seek another term.

In East Spencer, incumbents Mayor Barbara Mallett and alderman Albert Smith have filed along with challenger Shawn Rush, who’s the second vice chair of the Rowan County Democratic Party. Three seats on the board are up for grabs.

All three incumbents holding seats on the China Grove Town Council have filed for re-election. Council member Arthur Heggins filed Wednesday and was joined by Don Bringle and Brandon Linn on Thursday. Bringle was appointed to the council in 2019 to finish the remainder of Charles Seaford’s term once Seaford was elected mayor. Bringle previously served as mayor for 12 years.

The race is stacking up in Cleveland, which will have three open seats. Incumbents Bryan Little, Gerald Osborne and Richard Taylor have filed for re-election and are joined by challenger Danny Gabriel, who filed on Thursday. Gabriel was previously the town’s mayor.

The race is more crowded in Kannapolis, which has seven candidates seeking three council seats. Mayor Darrell Hinnant has filed for re-election as mayor and has no competition. Incumbent council members Van Rowell, Dianne Berry and Doug Wilson have filed for council. Additionally, challengers Jeanne Dixon, Chris Gordon, Milton Smith and Jayne Williams have filed.

Only two seats are set to expire in Landis. Incumbents Tony Corriher and Darrell Overcash filed for re-election on Thursday.

In Rockwell, alderman Justin Crews remains the only incumbent who has filed for one of the five seats set to expire. He is joined by a challenger, Dillon Brewer.

Spencer Mayor Jonathan Williams will run for re-election. Mayor Pro Tem Patti Seacrest and board members Steve Miller and Patricia Sledge, who are all incumbents, have filed for re-election. Rashid Muhammad joined the race for one of the six open seats on Friday. Muhammad filed an unexpired term in 2019 following the resignation of Howard White.

Board member Brian Campbell remains the only candidate in the town of Faith vying for one of five open seats.

Granite Quarry is the only municipality without any officially filed candidates. Two seats on the town board are set to expire later this year.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.