Rachel Hoskins - rhoskins@thefranklinpress.com
The municipal general elections will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 7 for seats on Bakersville and Spruce Pine town councils as well as the mayor of Spruce Pine.
Vying for two seats on the Bakersville Town Council are incumbent Charles Nash and Alan Blevins. Councilman Andy Palmer is not seeking re-election.
Contenders for the Spruce Pine mayor’s seat are Phillip Hise and Lynn Holler. Mayor Darla Harding is not seeking re-election.
In the race for two seats on the Spruce Pine Town Council are incumbent Rocky Buchanan, Kimberly Hageman, Sharon McIntosh and Wayne Peight.
Election day voting only
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the day of the election, Tuesday, Nov. 7. Canvass will be held in the Mitchell County Board of Elections office at 11a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Neither the Town of Bakersville nor the Town of Spruce Pine will be offering one-stop voting or absentee by mail voting during this election.
Voters voting in person are entitled to assistance by an election official, or, if assistance is needed due to disability or illiteracy, by a qualified person of their choice. Voting sites are accessible to all voters. Curbside voting is available for voters who are not able to enter voting sites.
All persons who live in eligible municipal districts and who are registered to vote with the Mitchell County Board of Elections may vote in this election. Voters who fail to make a change in name or address in the county prior to the election must update the information when presenting to vote and may be required to vote a provisional ballot.
Photo IDs required
“Photo identifications will be required to vote in this election,” said Lori Huskins, deputy elections supervisor of Mitchell County. “Registered voters who do not have an official photo identification card can obtain one for free from the Mitchell County Board of Elections office.”
The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday, and is located at 11 N. Mitchell Ave, Bakersville. For questions about registration, polling places, or other election matters may call the Mitchell County Board of Elections Office at (828) 688-3101.