SALISBURY — Todd Wyrick’s mother wanted him to either be a preacher or run for public office.

Religious but with a calling in the justice system, Wyrick is aiming to make the latter come true.

Wyrick, a Rowan County magistrate, is running against Rebecca Saleeby in the Republican primary to be the next Rowan County Clerk of Superior Court. The Clerk of Court primarily manages the clerical and record-keeping functions of the Rowan County courthouse.

“I’m ready to be the next clerk of court,” Wyrick said. “I think I have the experience, knowledge and background to do it.”

Wyrick and Saleeby are vying for the position held by Jeff Barger, who is not seeking reelection. There are no Democrats running for the position. Early voting starts today and the primary is on May 17.

Although Wyrick’s mother is now deceased, he said she still inspires him during the campaign.

“I like to think she’s watching me and if I win on the 17th I’ll go have a talk with her,” Wyrick said.

Wyrick was born and raised in Rowan County. After graduating from East Rowan High School, he attended Pfeiffer College where he majored in law enforcement, probation and parole supervision and sociology. In the summer after his freshman year of college, Wyrick decided to join the North Carolina Air National Guard. Wyrick served in the Air National Guard for six years, leaving as a staff sergeant.

Wyrick has been a Rowan County magistrate for the last 28 years. In 1999, he was appointed as the scheduling magistrate. In 2014, Wyrick was named chief magistrate.

“I have built relationships with so many people at the courthouse, from the (District Attorney’s) office, law enforcement, clerks,” Wyrick said. “… I’ve made a lot of friends at the courthouse.”

If elected, Wyrick said his top priority would be to ensure staff in the Clerk of Court’s office are properly trained to handle the impending shift to online record keeping.

“Number one is going to be training because everyone — I don’t care who they are in the courthouse — is going to have to start over as far as the new systems that come in with the computers,” Wyrick said. “Everything is going to change.”

Hiring and retaining staff members would also be among Wyrick’s top priorities. Specifically, Wyrick said he’d like to bring in more bilingual staff members to help bridge the language barrier between the office and members of the Hispanic community.

Additionally, Wyrick said he’d like to lobby for more space in the clerk’s office.

Wyrick said he’d like to create an advisory board of courthouse stakeholders to develop a strategy to improve public access to court records.

In addition to an endorsement from Barger, Wyrick said he’s proud to have a stamp of approval from Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten, Rowan County Attorney Jay Dees and Retired Rowan County District Attorney Bill Kenerly.

Wyrick is involved with the Salisbury Rotary Club and the Rowan County Peace Officer’s Association. Wyrick has been married to Laurie Poole Wyrick for 26 years. They have three children and two grandchildren.