By Tim Gardner
The two-week filing period for November 2, 2021 municipal elections in North Carolina began at 12:00 noon Friday, July 2nd and closed on July 16th at 12:00 noon. A total of 31 candidates filed in Avery County.
All eight Avery County townships–Newland, Banner Elk, Elk Park, Crossnore, Village of Sugar Mountain, Beech Mountain, Grandfather Village and Seven Devils will hold elections. Mayor seats will be on the ballot in some and Town Council (Aldermen) seats will be voted on in all of those townships.
The complete list of all Avery County Municipal Elections candidates for each township as per the Avery County Board of Elections includes:
Town of Banner Elk Town Council-
Michael P. Dunn
Robert Edgar Tufts
Town of Beech Mountain Town Council-
J. Weidner Abernathy
Erin Gonyea
Barry Kaufman
Town of Crossnore Mayor-
Eddie Yarber
Town of Crossnore Alderman-
Cami Vance Buchanan
Jane Milanovich
Terry Smith
Town of Elk Park Mayor-
Daniel Boone
Town of Elk Park Town Council-
Tony Eller
Darlene Hicks
Michael Smith
Alice Whittington
Brad Benfield
Joel Whitley
Village of Grandfather Village Mayor-
Richard Norman
Village of Grandfather Village Council-
William Cagney
Jill Norman
Town of Newland Mayor-
Valerie Calloway Jaynes
Derek Roberts
Town of Newland Town Council (Alderman)-
Lauren Jaynes Turbyfill
Gail Haller
Jamey C. Johnson
Town of Seven Devils Town Council-
Leigh Sasse
Jeffrey Williams
Wayne Bonomo
Village of Sugar Mountain Council-
David Ammann
Scott Brown
Dick Casey
Wade Wittman
To file for municipal office, a candidate must:
*Be 21 years old by Election Day.
*Be a registered voter of the county and reside in the municipality at the time he or she files for office. If he or she are not already registered to vote, they can register at the time they file their notice of candidacy.
*Reside within the district or ward for an office that is elected by district or ward.
*File a Municipal Notice of Candidacy with their county board of elections office and pay a filing fee set by the municipality or submit a petition in lieu of paying the fee.
*File an organizational report for the candidate committee with the county board of elections within 10 days of filing a notice of candidacy or within 10 days of organizing the candidate committee, whichever occurs first.
*For partisan elections, be affiliated with the same political party in which he or she intends to file for at least 90 days prior to the filing date.
*Disclose any felony convictions. A prior felony conviction does not preclude holding elective office if the candidate’s rights of citizenship have been restored.