Scott will not run for re-election
Jack Horton
Franklin Mayor Bob Scott has announced he will not run for reelection this year. Scott was first elected mayor in 2013 and prior to that served 10 years on the Board of Aldermen.
Scott said during his time as mayor he advocated for a transparent town government and is proud that the town is operated at a professional level. “In my four terms, the town got away from being a ‘who you know’ town. It is now a ‘what you know’ town,” he stated in a letter submitted to local media outlets.
Filing for the mayor’s seat and three Franklin Town Council positions opened on Friday, July 2 and continues through noon on Friday, July 16. The Town Council seats up for election this year are currently held by David Culpepper and Dinah Mashburn. The third seat was held by former Vice Mayor Barbara McRae who died in March. The council seats are for four-year terms.
Current Vice Mayor Jack Horton has filed to run for mayor. “If he gets elected the town will be in excellent hands,” Scott said.
While Horton is serving his first term as town council member, he has more than 35 years of experience in city and county management. He served as county manager for Macon County from 1985-1991 and 2008-2013. “What I’ve learned, and what I’ve been able to do and accomplish over the years will help the town move forward.”
Horton said he thinks the town is going in the right direction on many things, and he wants to see a focus on infrastructure, housing and quality of life issues.
He would also like to see the town help local businesses remain viable, especially after the struggles during the past year due to the pandemic. “We need to create a business environment where they can flourish and grow,” he said. That would also benefit another issue: creating more opportunities for young people.
The Town Council is in the process of hiring a new town manager. Horton said he hopes they will have a well-qualified person on board by September and the election will be in November.
Horton currently serves on the Macon County Airport Authority and Macon Citizens Habilities. He is chairman of the State of Franklin Health Council for Senior Citizens, is a life member of the North Carolina City/County Managers Association and is a member of the Franklin Rotary Club. He holds a master’s degree from Appalachian State University.
“I’m excited about the opportunity,” Horton said. “If I am elected, I will do everything I can to help the people of the Town of Franklin.”
If Horton is elected, the Town Council will appoint someone to fill his seat on the council.
Candidate and Election Information
To qualify to run for office, candidates must be at least 21 years of age by election day, live in the town limits, be registered to vote and pay the filing fee. The town election is nonpartisan – the candidates are listed on the ballot without party affiliation and the top vote getters are elected.
Municipal elections are open only to people living in and registered to vote in the city limits. Voters must have lived in the municipality for at least 30 days prior to the election to qualify to vote. The voter registration deadline for the 2021 election is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8.
One-stop early voting will begin on Oct. 14 and end at 3 p.m. Oct. 30. Early voting will be the Macon County Community Building.
The last day to request an absentee ballot by mail will be 5 p.m. October 26.
Tuesday, November 2, will be Municipal Election Day with voting at Franklin Town Hall. Polls will be open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.