SALISBURY — Four candidates have withdrawn from local races, the Rowan County Board of Elections said Tuesday.
Leonard West has dropped out of the race for the Cleveland Town Board of Commissioners, leaving two incumbents and two remaining challengers running for three open seats.
“There were more than adequate people running for the positions available, and I just felt like I didn’t have time to pursue it,” he said.
West, 62, works for Mueller Industries and has not held elected office before.
“I decided to file because I thought I could improve the thought process that occurs within the commission,” West said. But now, he said, “I don’t have the time nor the desire. Lately, politics in this county has taken a real turn, and not necessarily for the better.”
He did not give the specific circumstances that led to his decisions to run for office or to withdraw.
In addition, Timothy Draper has dropped out of the race for Rockwell mayor, leaving incumbent Beau Taylor unchallenged; Thomas Speaks has withdrawn from the Salisbury City Council race; and Sophia Wilkerson has dropped her challenge for a seat on the Kannapolis City Council.
Their names still appear on sample ballots, but will not appear on the official ballots for the Nov. 5 municipal elections.