Next Friday, Oct. 14 is the deadline to register to vote in the November General Election. In the local elections, voters will be casting their ballots for County Commissioner, Board of Education, Clerk of Court and the state senate race. Several other races will appear on the ballot but are uncontested.
The Macon County Board of Elections began accepting requests for absentee ballots by mail on Sept. 9 for the General Election in November. The last day to request an absentee ballot by mail is Nov. 1. Completed absentee by mail ballots must be returned to the Board of Elections by Election Day, Nov. 8.
Early voting will be held Oct. 20 - Nov. 5 and will be held at the Community Building in Franklin and the Highlands Civic Center. Hours will be 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays (Oct. 22, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5).
On Election Day (Nov. 8), all precincts will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
For more information, contact the Macon County Board of Elections at 828-349-2034 or maconnc.org/board-of-elections.
A sample ballot is available on the Macon County Board of Elections website.
Sales tax referendum
In addition to the races for various county, district, state and federal offices, Macon County voters will vote “for” or “against” a one-quarter percent (.25%) local sales and use tax in addition to all other state and local sales and use taxes.
This proposed sales tax increase is being presented as a way to help fund capital projects for the school system, including construction of a new Franklin High School.
County Commissioners
The Board of County Commissioners will see at least one new member elected, as District 1 Commissioner Jim Tate did not run for re-election after 11 years on the board. Tate currently serves as board chair. John Shearl is running for that seat on the Republican ticket and Jerry Moore is running as an unaffiliated candidate.
Two District 2 seats are up for election. Incumbents Gary Shields (Republican) and Ronnie Beale (Democrat) will face challengers Danny Antoine (Republican) and Betty Cloer Wallace (Democrat).
Clerk of Court
Shawna Thun Lamb is on the Republican ticket for the Clerk of Court race. Dinah Mashburn filed to run on the Democratic party ticket but has suspended her campaign and is in support of Lamb’s election. “I always had the best interest of the clerk’s office at heart, and I give my full support to Shawna,” Mashburn said in an interview last month.
Mashburn said she filed to run because she wanted to make sure voters had a choice in the May primary; as the only Democrat candidate in the primary, she automatically advanced to the November election. However, her name will still appear on the ballot because it was too late to officially withdraw from the race.
Lamb won the May primary and was appointed interim Clerk of Court following the retirement of longtime clerk Victor Perry.
Board of Education
In the non-partisan Macon County Board of Education race, the District 2 and District 4 (at-large) seats will be on the ballot. Running in District 2 are Bill Handley, Stephanie Hyder Laseter and Danny Reitmeier. Longtime school board member Tommy Cabe had filed to run but passed away last month. His name will remain on the ballot.
Incumbent Carol Arnold and challenger Diedre Kaye Breeden are running for the District 4 at-large seat.
State races
Incumbent Kevin Corbin (R-Macon) will face challenger Karen Burnette McCracken (D) of Almond for the District 50 seat in the N.C. Senate. The district includes Macon, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties.
Incumbent Karl Gillespie (R-Macon) is running an uncontested race for the House of Representatives District 120 including Macon, Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties.
U.S. Senate
Voters will elect a new senator to replace Sen. Richard Burr, who did not run for re-election. There will be four names on the ballot: Matthew Hoh (Green Party), Cheri Beasley (Democrat), Shannon W. Bray (Libertarian) and Ted Budd (Republican).
U.S. House of Representatives
District 11 will also send a new representative to Washington as Republican incumbent Madison Cawthorn was defeated in the May primary. Running for that office are David Adam Coatney (Libertarian), Chuck Edwards (Republican) and Jasmine Beach-Ferrara (Democrat).
Other races on the ballot include:
N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice – Seat 3: Richard Dietz (R) and Lucy Inman (D)
N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice – Seat 5: Sam J. Ervin IV (D) and Trey Allen (R)
N.C. Court of Appeals – Seat 8: Julee Tate Flood (R) and Carolyn Jennings Thompson (D)
N.C. Court of Appeals – Seat 9: Brad A. Salmon (D) and Donna Stroud (R)
N.C. Court of Appeals – Seat 10: John M. Tyson (R) and Gale Murray Adams (D)
N.C. Court of Appeals – Seat 11: Darren Jackson (D) and Michael J. Stading (R)
Uncontested races include:
Macon County Sheriff: Brent Holbrooks (R)
Macon County Register of Deeds: Todd Raby (D)
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor (two seats): Matthew C. Reynolds and Pamela Peek Bell
N.C. Superior Court Judge District 30A – Seat 1: William H. (Bill) Coward (R)
N.C. District Court Judge District 30 – Seat 1: Donna Forga (R)
N.C. District Court Judge District 30 – Seat 2: Kristina Lynn Earwood (R)
N.C. District Court Judge District 30 – Seat 3: Roy Wijewickrama (D)
District Attorney District 43: Ashley Hornsby Welch (R)