Latest news with #municipalraces
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
In shocking turnaround, Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin changes course, files for reelection
This story was updated to add new information. With election filing officially closed, there's a crowded field of contenders — including unexpected last-minute additions — in Fayetteville's 2025 municipal races. Mayor Mitch Colvin, who announced in June that he wouldn't seek reelection, filed to retain his seat before the noon filing deadline July 18. Colvin, who is serving his fourth term as Fayetteville's mayor, didn't immediately respond to The Fayetteville Observer's request for comment. Another last-minute addition to the slate of 10 Fayetteville mayoral candidates is Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin, who, after first filing for reelection to her District 8 seat on July 15, filed to run for mayor on the last day of filing. More surprises: Braden for sheriff? Former Fayetteville police chief considers surprise comeback Banks-McLaughlin announced her bid for mayor on her Facebook page July 18 and thanked District 8 residents for their support. "I've been serving on Fayetteville City Council and for our area for over six years," she said. "I feel like I've done so much to improve our community, and I would love for your support so that I can run for, and to be, the next Fayetteville mayor. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be out in the community and would love to hear your concerns and your issues and ways that you want to see our community grow." She was first elected to the District 8 seat in November 2019 and is in her third term. She's not the only council member aiming to replace Colvin. Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen and Council member Mario Benavente announced they intended to run for mayor well before the filing period began July 7. Former Councilwoman Tisha Waddell also threw her name into the ring as a contender July 18. Waddell first won the District 3 seat in the November 2017 election and was reelected in the 2019 election. She abruptly resigned from the seat in November 2021, alleging unethical behavior from Mayor Colvin and others on the City Council, who said her concerns were "baseless." 'I look forward to serving (residents) in this capacity, hope to answer their prayers and appreciate their vote of confidence as the next mayor of the city of Fayetteville,' Waddell said July 18. The primary for all Fayetteville races with more than two candidates is Oct. 7. The top two vote-getters will go on to the Nov. 4 general election. Others who filed for the mayor's seat are John Ashford, Freddie de la Cruz, Clifton L. Johnson, Nahlee Iris Smith and former Council member Paul A. Williams. Here is the complete list of every candidate who filed to run in Cumberland County municipal elections. Fayetteville Mayor John Ashford Courtney Banks-McLaughlin Mario (Be) Benavente Mitch Colvin (incumbent) Freddie de la Cruz Kathy Keefe Jensen Clifton L. Johnson Nahlee Iris Smith Tisha Waddell Paul A. Williams City Council District 1 The incumbent, Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen, is running for mayor. Jamie Davis Stephon Ferguson Theodore Melkoumov James L. Thomas III City Council District 2 Malik Davis (incumbent) Gail Morfesis Joseph (Joey) Thames City Council District 3 The incumbent, Council member Mario Benavente, is running for mayor. Antonio Jones Jeremy Wright City Council District 4 Stuart A. Collick D.J. Haire (incumbent) City Council District 5 Lynne Bissette Greene (incumbent) Rick Murillo City Council District 6 Kenneth E. Odegard II Derrick Thompson (incumbent) City Council District 7 Dwight France J'Kwan Fulmore Kathy A. Greggs Brenda McNair (incumbent) Khalil Younger City Council District 8 The incumbent, Council member Courtney Banks-McLaughlin, is running for mayor. Rodney E. Garvin Mahmoud A. (Travis) Hamed Shaun McMillan Robbie Poole City Council District 9 Deno Hondros (incumbent) Gary A. Hunt Joe McGee Hope Mills Mayor Jessie Bellflowers (incumbent) Todd Henderson Board of Commissioners (five seats) Incumbents Kenjuana McCray and Jerry Legge won't seek reelection. Elyse Craver (incumbent) Cynthia Hamilton Mark Hess Bryan A. Marley (incumbent) Grilley J. Mitchell Hope Page Karen Smith Saracen Joanne Scarola (incumbent) Ronald Starling Lisa F. Tremmel Spring Lake Mayor Kia Anthony (incumbent) Robyn Chadwick Board of Commissioners (five seats) Commissioner Robyn Chadwick is running for mayor, and Commissioners Raul Palacios and Marvin Lackman did not seek reelection. Ryan C. Anderson Stachia Arnold Katrina Bell Bratcher Tony Burgess Sona L. Cooper (incumbent) Jackie Lee Jackson Mary C. Jackson Dedra Parker Tyrone Short Fredericka Sutherland Adrian Jones Thompson (incumbent) Eastover Mayor Charles G. McLaurin (incumbent) Town Council (three seats) Wayne Beard Jr. Kimberly F. McPhail (incumbent) Bruce Sykes (incumbent) Falcon Mayor James Danny Nelson Jr. Clifton L. Turpin Jr. Board of Commissioners (four seats) Sue Brigman R. Dwayne Dunning (incumbent) Dylan H. Ivey Chip Lucas Chris Stone Phillip J. Walters Godwin Mayor Willie Burnette (incumbent) Board of Commissioners (four seats) George Cooper Jr. (incumbent) Scarlet McIntyre Hall (incumbent) Ronald McNeill (incumbent) Dennis C. Smith Sr. Joseph Smith (incumbent) Linden Mayor Frances Collier (incumbent) Board of Commissioners (five seats) Jonathan Collier (incumbent) Barbara C. Denning (incumbent) Michael Hough Ronnie S. Maness (incumbent) Stedman Mayor Martin (Mardy) Jones Jr. (incumbent) Board of Commissioners (two seats) Louis Wood (incumbent) Wade Mayor Johnny Lanthorn (incumbent) Board of Commissioners (five seats) Kevin Herring (incumbent) Beth Ritchie (incumbent) Johnny B. Sawyer (incumbent) George E. Strater Jennifer Dixon Weaver (incumbent) Cumberland-Eastover Sanitary District Board (two seats) Helen Crumpler (incumbent) Liz Reeser (incumbent) This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin says he's going to run again Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Candidates prepare for local races
TRIAD — The candidates running for offices on the local level will begin filing next week, formally kicking off the 2025 election season. Voters will settle municipal contests for mayoral seats and posts on city and town councils, as well as select school boards, in the Nov. 4 general election. The candidate filing period will determine what names appear on the ballot for which races. Candidate filing across all 100 counties begins at 8 a.m. Monday and continues through noon on July 18. Municipal races in Guilford, Davidson and Randolph counties are nonpartisan, meaning the candidate's political affiliation won't appear on the ballot. Here's a breakdown of races in the three-county area: Guilford County High Point is off the political stage this year as the city's next elections for mayor and city council take place in 2027. Jamestown will have a race for mayor and two council seats. Other municipalities in Guilford County staging elections include Kernersville, which also covers parts of Forsyth County, Greensboro, Oak Ridge, Pleasant Garden and Summerfield. Davidson County Thomasville will hold two municipal elections this year. The contest for Thomasville City Council will feature the mayor's seat and four posts on council. Two seats are in play for the Thomasville City Schools Board of Education. This is the second election in the history of the school board, whose members used to be appointed by the city council. Lexington also will stage two elections. The Lexington City Council will have contests for mayor and four ward seats on council, and the Lexington City Schools Board of Education will have contests for three ward seats and an at-large citywide seat. The towns of Wallburg and Denton will each have races for mayor and two Town Council seats. The town of Midway will have contests for three Town Council seats. Randolph County The northern Randolph County cities of Archdale and Trinity won't hold their next municipal elections until 2026. The city of Asheboro will hold two municipal elections this fall, with one changed because of a bill passed in the N.C. General Assembly earlier this year. The Asheboro City Council will have a race for mayor and four council seats. The Asheboro City Board of Education will have contests for two seats instead of four as originally scheduled. The change is part of a reform pushed through the General Assembly by the Randolph County Republican delegation to reduce the size of the board. The board will go from 11 members to seven in stages. Other Randolph County cities and towns staging elections this year are Franklinville, Liberty, Ramseur, Randleman, Seagrove and Staley. While municipal races involve candidates who directly address topics important to a community, local government contests consistently rank the lowest for voter turnout among all types of elections. Wake Forest University Political Science Professor John Dinan said voters who sit out municipal elections may want to re-examine their interest in local races. 'Turnout for municipal odd-year elections, while understandable, is still unfortunate because we are constantly reminded of the importance of these elections and the significant decisions made by officials chosen in these elections,' Dinan told The High Point Enterprise. Local governments set property tax rates, decide on spending in county or municipal budgets, and determine which local programs receive funding. 'We were particularly reminded of the importance of local officials during COVID, when many key decisions about handling COVID were made at the local level,' Dinan said. Not in play The cities of High Point, Archdale and Trinity won't hold municipal elections this year. Archdale and Trinity will stage elections in 2026 while High Point's next elections are in 2027.
