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Early voting beganThursday in Catawba, Caldwell and Burke County, where a school board race follows months of bitter controversy over the departure of a popular superintendent.
In one of the most-watched elections in the region, 12 candidates are on the ballot for four seats on the Burke school board, which voted 5-2 last spring to buy out the contract of Supt. David Burleson.
During months of angry, standing-room-only meetings and lawsuits, school board members often asked for police protection. Burke County's four high schools are now on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which said the school board had created an atmosphere of chaos.
Candidates on both sides of the issue are on the Burke County ballot.
School board elections generally do not attract a lot of voters, not compared to elections of sheriffs and mayors, said Lowell Ashman, professor of political science at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory.
But communitywide controversy about schools could send more voters to the polls, Ashman said.
Despite the school board controversy, registration is down a bit, says Burke County elections director Greer Suttlemyre.
In the Burke County election two years ago, only 15 percent of registered voters cast ballots. Suttlemyre said he could not predict turnout in the Nov. 3 election.
Burke County
Burke County school board chairman Tracy Norman of Morganton, who favored buying out Burleson's contract, is running for the remaining two years of an unexpired term in the western district. Also competing for that seat is Bill Crump, Elizabeth Peterson and Susan Stroup, all of Morganton.
Incumbent Buddy Armour of Morganton, a supporter of Burleson, is running in the central district, challenged by Creag Hanson and James Stamey, both of Morganton.
Incumbent Sam Wilkinson of Valdese, the other Burleson supporter on the board, faces challenger Dianne Mobley of Connelly Springs in the eastern district.
Three candidates are running for a four-year seat to represent the western district: Linda Minich, Justin Tate and Catherine Thomas, all of Morganton.
Three candidates, Peterson, Mobley and Tate, have notified the board of elections office that they were withdrawing, Suttlemyre said, but their names will still be on the ballot. If they win, they must decide if they will take office, he said.
Elections also will be held for mayor and three aldermen in Connelly Springs, mayor and two aldermen in Drexel, mayor and three aldermen in Glen Alpine, mayor and three council members in Hildebran, mayor and three council members in Rutherford College, and mayor and three council members in Valdese.
Morganton held its municipal election earlier this month. Early voting runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 31. Polls for early voting will be at 201 W. Meeting St., Morganton, and 2128 S. Sterling St., Morganton.
Alexander
No elections are scheduled this fall in Alexander County.
Caldwell
In Lenoir, eight candidates are vying for four seats on the city council: Incumbent Joe Gibbons, Michael Dean McCoy, Enoch Moeller, incumbent Lewis Price, Dave Soldat, incumbent David Stevens, Ron Stilwell and Gary Whisnant.
In Granite Falls, Mayor Barry Hayes is unopposed. Five candidates are competing for three seats on the Granite Falls town council: incumbent Caryl Burns, incumbent Frank Mackie, Max McRary, Linda Teague and Robert "Chip" Tunstall III.
Early voting will be held 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays in Lenoir at the County Office Building, 905 West Ave. N.W. and in Granite Falls at the Shuford Recreation Building, 56 Pinewood Road. Saturday voting is 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday Oct. 31 at those locations.
Catawba
In Hickory, the Oct. 6 primary in Ward 4 narrowed the field to two candidates for alderman, incumbent Z. Ann Hoyle and Hank Guess.
Mayor Rudy Wright and Ward 5 alderman Sally Fox are unopposed. In Ward 6, incumbent Jill Patton and Harry Hipps are competing for the alderman's seat.
In Newton, eight candidates are competing for three council seats: Robert Abernethy Jr., Bob Benson, Tom Dixon, K.C. Hartman, incumbent Anthony Johnson, David LeFevers, Bill Lutz and incumbent Anne Petree Stedman.
In Conover, three candidates are competing against Mayor Bruce Eckard - Steven Kiger, Lee Moritz Jr. and Mark Parson. Four candidates are competing for two council seats: incumbent Johnny Brown, Jeff Byrd, Joie Fulbright and Jan Herman.
Maiden Mayor Bob Smyre is unopposed. Five candidates are competing for three council seats: incumbent Howard Ervin, Wayne McKinney, incumbent Marcus Midgett, incumbent Mike Moore and Fore Rembert.
In Hickory City Schools, there are four candidates for four seats: incumbent Angela Beaver Simmons, Ward 1; Sallie Daniel Johnson, Ward 2; incumbent Gloria Hemphill, Ward 3; incumbent Reginald Hamilton Sr., Ward 5.
In Newton/Conover Schools, five candidates are on the ballot for two seats serving the Newton District: Candace Cansler, incumbent Betty Coulter, Kyle Drum, Donnie Holbrook and Jimmy Martin. Three are competing for one seat in the Conover District: Kim Cline, Mark Ehrnsberger and incumbent Gary Hicks.
Catawba County residents can vote Thursday and Fridaythis week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Main Library, 115 W. C St., Newton. Early voting continues 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and Oct. 26-30 at the Newton library and Highland Recreation Center, 1451 Eighth St. Drive, N.E., Hickory. The last day of early voting is 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 31 at both spots.
