By Tim Gardner
As the filing deadline nears, nineteen candidates have completed the necessary paperwork and paid the $5.00 filing fee to seek municipal government (city, town or village) seats in Avery County as of this morning (July 17).
Filing began on Friday, July 5 and ends this Friday, July 19 at Noon. Seats are open for some Mayor and Town Council seats in the following Avery townships: Newland, Banner Elk, Crossnore, Elk Park, Village of Sugar Mountain, Village of Grandfather, Beech Mountain, and Seven Devils.
Candidates who have filed in Avery County include: incumbent Kenny Caraway for Newland Town Council; incumbents Ray Allen Bolick and Charles B. Von Canon, Jr. for Banner Elk Town Council; incumbent Brenda Lyerly for Banner Elk Mayor; Roy Ingram and incumbents Jesse Smith and Jane Milanovich for Crossnore Town Council; David (Eddie) Yarber for Crossnore Mayor; incumbent Bob Donovan for Village of Sugar Mountain Mayor and incumbents Richard C. Norman and Charles (Chuck) Fuller for Village of Grandfather Town Council; Elaine McKinney Crane and Bruce Hicks and incumbents Tommy Norman and Mike Smith for Elk Park Town Council; incumbent Daniel Boone for Elk Park Mayor; Lewis (Van) Lecka and incumbent Jonathan Green for Village of Sugar Mountain Town Council and Gunter Jochl for Village of Sugar Mountain Mayor. Jochl is an incumbent, but not as Mayor. He is currently a member of the Village’s Town Council.
Some sections of Beech Mountain and Seven Devils are in Avery County and other parts are in Watauga County. Voters in those elections must cast their ballots in which county they reside.
No candidates from Avery County have filed for offices in Beech Mountain or Seven Devils.
Filing must be done in person at the Board of Election Office in which a voter resides.
On Monday, October 7, Absentee Voting by Mail begins for the General Election and Friday, October 11 at 5:00 p.m. is the voting registration deadline. One stop early voting begins October 16 and ends November 2.
General Election Day is November 5, 2019, and voting may be done then from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
According to Avery Election officials, early voting may be done at the Avery County Board of Elections office, located in the Avery County Court House at 200 Montezuma Street, #307, in Newland.
The early voting days and hours of operation are:
Wednesday, October 16- Friday, October 18 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday, October 21 – Friday,October 25 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday, October 28- Friday,November 1 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 2 (Only Saturday) 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Voting on General Election Day can be done at each township’s voting site.
Voter registration may be done at the Board of Elections Office.
Anyone eligible to vote in Avery County’s municipal elections must:
*Be a citizen of the United States
*Be a resident of North Carolina and their voting township for at least 30 days prior to an election
*Be at least 18 years of age by the next General Election
*Not be registered to vote in another township
*If convicted of a felony, have had his or her citizenship rights restored
*If moved to another county in North Carolina, that individual will need to register to vote in municipal elections in that county.
Further information about the Avery County municipal elections may can be obtained at the Elections Office or by calling (828) 733-8282.