SALISBURY — Both Ryan Evans and Steven Joseph had challenges to their candidacies overturned by the Rowan County Board of Elections Wednesday. Evans and Joseph are both running for office in East Spencer and had their residency status within the town’s limits called in question.

Ryan Evans, who is running for mayor, filed his residency in the 300 block of East Division Avenue. Evans testified under oath at the board meeting that although he is not listed on the rent agreement for the home, he has lived there since September of last year with his girlfriend, Adriana Jones. Jones testified at the hearing herself that Evans lived at the address, all of his possessions were in the home, and that he helped pay the rent through Jones.

East Spencer Alderman Shawn Rush filed the challenges for both of the candidates. He said before the board that he brought the challenge because a concerned citizen noted the potential that Evans did not live at the East Division Avenue address. On further examination, Rush found that Evans had been registered to vote at an address in Salisbury.

Evans noted that he did live in Salisbury with his mother in the years before and after he was in the military as well as while he was enrolled at Livingstone College. Since 2019, however, Evans testified that he has lived in East Spencer at a home on Tanglewood Drive. Evans also testified that there are three people with the name Ryan Evans who live in the area and could potentially cause confusion.

By the end of the hearing, Evans’ testimony provided enough evidence for the members of the board of elections to unanimously vote to overturn the challenge.

Joseph, who is running for the board of aldermen, filed his residency as being in the 100 block of Jackson Street. Joseph testified under oath that he was a housemate of the recently deceased Kenneth Muhammad-El Fox at the address and that he lived there up until Monday, when the landowner officially took back possession of the property. Joseph said that he is now in the process of moving to a home on South Long Street, which is also in East Spencer.

Rush stated that he brought this challenge forward after it was brought to his attention by a registered voter that there may not be anyone living at the property. Rush asked Town Manager Michael Douglas, who confirmed that the property did not recently receive any services from Salisbury-Rowan Utilities.

Joseph called several witnesses who testified under oath that they had visited Joseph at Jackson streets and could state for a fact that he had lived there. Joseph also provided documentation that showed a receipt for his security deposit for the rent as well as the renter’s agreement for his new address.

The board of elections then voted unanimously to dismiss the challenge to Joseph’s candidacy.

Todd Fink, a candidate running for the Faith Board of Aldermen, had his challenge upheld by the board of elections on July 25. The deadline for him to file a challenge with the State Board of Elections was Tuesday afternoon and his name has been removed from the county’s list of candidates.