Filing closed Friday for the 2023 November municipal elections in Burke County, with only a handful of new candidates tossing their hats into the ring.Â
Joining the field last week were Rick Cline (Drexel Mayor), Kendra Edwards (Rhodhiss Town Commissioner), Luke Boone (Glen Alpine Alderman), Chris Brown (Drexel Alderman), Paul Swink (Glen Alpine Alderman), and Donna Price (Rhodhiss Town Commissioner).Â
Filing began on July 7 and remained open until noon Friday.
In Drexel, Cline, currently an alderman, will run against incumbent Dennis Anthony, who was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Danny Ritchie.Â
Three alderman seats are open in Drexel. Incumbents Terry B. Yount and Scott Coe have filed to run, as have challengers Robert Reed, Chelsea Suttles, and Lora Merlott, and Brown.
Coe was appointed to fill Anthony’s term when Anthony took over as mayor. Individuals appointed to a board or council are required to run for their seat in the next election.
In Glen Alpine, Boone and Swink join a race that already includes Scott Reid and Angela Marlowe.
Council seats for Wards 1, 4, and 5 are on the ballot in Valdese. Incumbent Tim Barus (Ward 1) will face challenger Glenn Harvey. Incumbent Tim Skidmore (Ward 5) will go against Heather Ward. And incumbent Frances Hildebran (Ward 4) will run against challenger Gary Ogle.
Barus and Skidmore were appointed to fill unexpired terms and therefore must run this fall.
As of late Thursday, all three officials on the ticket in Morganton were poised to run unopposed. Mayor Ronnie Thompson and City Council members Chris Jernigan (District 2), and Butch McSwain (District 1) all filed during the first week, but no one had filed to run against any of them.
Thompson is seeking a third term, while Jernigan and McSwain are vying for their second terms.
As of late Thursday, no one had filed to run for the three alderman seats in Connelly Springs currently held by Steve Smart, Ramona Duncan, and Kim Sigmon.
Note: In a previous story, the date for the early voting cutoff was incorrect. The actual end date for early voting will be Friday, Nov. 3.
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