By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Municipal elections in East Spencer on Wednesday grew increasingly competitive, and the Salisbury City Council race gained a candidate, too.

A total of eight candidates filed Wednesday for municipal races across Rowan County. Two filed for races in East Spencer, two in Rockwell, and one each in Faith, Granite Quarry, Salisbury and Spencer.

There’s now a three-candidate race for mayor in East Spencer. Six candidates are running for three spots on the town board.

Meanwhile, Salisbury is inching closer to its record number of candidates in 2015, when 16 people ran for the City Council. As of Wednesday afternoon, 12 people had filed for the 2017 council race.

Candidates who filed Wednesday include:

• John Struzick, a challenger running for Salisbury City Council.

• James Cowan, a challenger running for East Spencer mayor.

• Dewayne Holmes, a challenger running for East Spencer Board of Aldermen.

• Charles L. Moody, running for re-election to the Faith Board of Aldermen.

• James “Doug” Shelton, a challenger running for Granite Quarry Board of Aldermen.

• Beau Taylor, running for re-election as Rockwell mayor.

• Charles Wingerson, running for re-election to the Rockwell Board of Aldermen.

• David Lamanno, running for re-election to the Spencer Board of Aldermen.

With one and a half days left until filing ends, most races have at least one candidate for every position on the ballot, but three races still fall short of candidates. Those races include China Grove Town Council, Cleveland Board of Commissioners and Faith Board of Aldermen.

Rowan County elections specialist Laura Russell said a man called the elections office Wednesday and said he plans to file for China Grove Town Council but he did not give his name. That filing would mean there are enough candidates for all open positions, but the council race would not be a competitive one.

If there is a lack of candidates in any race at noon Friday, when filing ends, there are two options for the Rowan County Board of Elections, Russell said. The board could choose to extend the filing period or leave the number of candidates as is and rely on write-in votes.

If there is a lack of candidates, Russell said board members will be polled about their preference.

The elections are Nov. 7.

For more information about municipal elections, call the Board of Elections at 704-216-8140 or visit www.rowancountync.gov/191/elections.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246