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Thirty-One Candidates File In Avery County Municipal Elections Races

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.