By Steve Huffman
shuffman@salisburypost.com
The filing period for area municipal elections ends at noon Friday, and there’s a wide variation in interest in local races.
Eleven people have already filed for five seats on the Salisbury City Council.
But in other municipalities, interest appears almost nonexistent. In Faith, no one has filed for any of the five available seats.
In East Spencer, former Alderman Titus King is the only one to file for one of three board seats. Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Mallett filed Monday for mayor.
In Spencer, Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Morris and political newcomer Reid Walters are the only ones to have filed for the six available board seats. Mayor Jody Everhart filed late Monday afternoon for re-election.
“I’m going to talk to a few people at (tonight’s) board meeting to see if they’re running again,” Everhart said. “I think we’ll wind up with a good number of candidates.”
Across the county, here are filings as of Monday:
– Town of China Grove where three aldermen seats are available: Butch Bivens has filed.
– In Cleveland where the mayor’s seat and three aldermen seats are open: John I. Steele Jr. has filed for mayor. Danny Gabriel, John O. Brown, Leonard M. West and Travis Summitt have filed for commissioner.
– In East Spencer where the mayor’s seat and three alderperson seats are open: Barbara Mallett has filed for mayor. Titus King has filed for the board.
– In the town of Faith, where all five seats are open and the mayor is appointed: No one has filed.
– In Granite Quarry where two board seats are open: Brad Kluttz and Eloise Peeler have filed.
– In Kannapolis where the mayor’s post and three board seats are open: Gene McCombs has filed for the board.
– In Landis where two aldermen seats are open: James Furr has filed.
– In Rockwell where the mayor’s seat and all five aldermen seats are open: Beau Taylor has filed for mayor. Timothy Justin Crews, Chuck Bowman and Tim Draper have filed for the board.
– In Salisbury where all five board seats are open and the mayor is appointed: Blake Jarman, Susan Kluttz, Pete Kennedy, Mark Lewis, Paul Woodson Jr., Maggie Blackwell, Michael S. Young, Benjamin Johnson, Wes Thompson, Charles A. Black and William Peoples have filed for the board.
– In Spencer where the mayor’s seat and all six aldermen seats are available: Jody Everhart has filed for mayor. Reid Walters and Jeff Morris have filed for the board.