Glen Alpine's race shapes up to be among Burke's most competitive

The first week of candidate filing ended with no one stepping up to run for Glen Alpine’s mayor or three open alderman seats, leaving many to question whether anyone would seek elected office at all.

But in the final days — especially on Friday, July 18 — a wave of new and familiar faces joined the race.

Now, there are seven contenders for the three seats and one option for Mayor. The filings marked an unexpected turn in the race, making the small western Burke town just as competitive — if not more so — than Valdese, which had been predicted to be the most contested race at the start of the filing period.

FAMILIAR FACES

It was initially unclear whether Alderwoman Sheila Perkins or Mayor Michelle Lewis would seek reelection, while Alderman Jason Miller stated multiple times that he would not be running for reelection due to infighting on the board.

Now, Miller’s name will be on the November ballot, along with Perkins and Lewis. However, Lewis will run for a seat on the board instead of the mayoral position she was appointed to in March 2024 when Mayor Bob Benfield stepped down. Lewis said she never aspired to be the mayor, but she did her best to fulfill the duties she was asked to do.

“With recent talk from some of the current aldermen regarding raising taxes or de-annexation of the town, I felt the need to run for election to regain my voice and my vote,” Lewis stated. The mayor in Glen Alpine is a non-voting position. “I will not vote for anything that is not in the best interest of the citizens or the town itself.”

Miller, having served his first term on the board, wants another shot. In the wake of Alderman Jim Frady’s resignation, Miller said he was frustrated by the infighting on the board and had made comments about dissolving the town.

“Since then, I’ve had many thoughtful conversations with residents — people who challenged me, reminded me why I ran in the first place, and helped me see that abandoning our town isn’t the answer. Fixing what’s broken is,” Miller stated.

He said he’s not done fighting for the town and wants things done right. “I understand the importance of citizens’ input, and I want one more chance to try for this small town,” Miller stated. “I’m not happy with my performance during my first term as I was learning the ropes and not vocalizing my concerns nearly enough.”

As for Perkins, she said the outpouring of support from residents in Glen Alpine has convinced her not to allow personal agendas to win and to run for another term. “I have had a lot of trauma in my life recently and after stating numerous times I would not run again, here I am putting my name out there for another term.”

She stated that it’s one of the most challenging “jobs” she has ever worked at, noting that being a member of the board is a mentally exhausting process and the rewards are few. But she said, “I am not going to be silenced, no matter the personal and professional attacks I have suffered through the last year of serving. I hope together we will make the difference we want to so desperately see.”

NEWCOMERS

The Lewis family could have a strong presence on the board. When Mayor Michelle Lewis filed to run for alderman, her husband, Jody Lewis, submitted his candidacy at the same time. While not new to Glen Alpine or its board meetings, Jody stated that he is ready to help change mindsets and put residents first.

His disappointments are similar to Michelle’s, and he added that he sees as a lack of support for the police department in providing 24/7 police protection.

“I’ve never been interested in politics, only supporting my wife and doing what I can to help,” he stated. “But the mindsets need to change. We need to get back to putting our citizens first.”

A name that may be familiar to some is Synthia Adams, the wife of Nick Adams, who leads the town’s public works department. She is running for an alderman seat.

Adams has lived in Glen Alpine for two and a half years. “I signed up to run because I’m a normal citizen of Glen Alpine and a mom who loves to be involved in the community and bring people together.”

Another newcomer, William Kevin Herron, will run unopposed for mayor. Newcomers Chad Wykle and Lucas Huffman also filed to run for the board of aldermen. Herron, Wykle and Huffman did not return The Paper’s request for comment by press time.

Board member Reid Scott and Mayor Pro Tempore Luke Boone will continue to serve out their terms, which do not end until 2027. In Glen Alpine, all candidates run in a single contest, and the top vote-getters earn seats on the board.