Filing for the 2021 municipal elections in Franklin and Highlands opens at noon Friday, July 2 and continues through noon, Friday, July 16.
Town of Franklin seats up for election include two Town Council member seats currently held by David Culpepper and Dinah Mashburn, and the seat held by former Vice Mayor Barbara McRae, who died in March. The council seats are for 4-year terms.
Culpepper is a native of Franklin and a graduate of Western Carolina University with a degree in public relations/communications. He owns and operates Culpepper’s Architectural Salvage in Otto. He was elected to the council in 2017.
Mashburn is a native of Franklin and was appointed to the council in 2018 to fill the seat of her late husband, Billy. She ran unopposed for the seat in 2019. She has a degree in business administration from Southwestern Community College and retired from the Macon County Clerk of Court Office after 30 years of public service.
The Franklin mayor’s seat, currently held by Bob Scott, also will be on the ballot. The mayor serves for a two-year term. Prior to becoming mayor in 2013, Scott served on the Board of Aldermen for 10 years. He has lived in Franklin since 1967, is a graduate of Western Carolina University, and retired from the WCU Campus Police Department where he served as executive officer. He served in the South Carolina National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve as a public information and photo officer.
Highlands Mayor Patrick Taylor is also up for re-election for a four-year term. The Highlands ballot will include two town commissioner seats currently held by Amy Patterson and Donnie Calloway. The commissioners serve four-year terms.
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. Both town elections are nonpartisan.
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 be conducted Oct. 14 through Oct. 30 at 3 p.m. Early voting will be held at the Macon County Community Building in Franklin and the Highlands Civic Center.
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 and the Highlands Civic Center. Polls will be open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.