Three CSC students are Park Scholarship finalists
DOBSON — Rather than growing on the second day of a reinstated nominations period on Friday, the field has actually narrowed when it comes to town races.
Will Pfitzner walked off the ballot for a seat on the North Ward Mount Airy Board of Commissioners for which he threw his hat in the ring in December when the filing began – before being suspended for nearly three months by legal challenges from redistricting of the state.
Pfitzner said shortly after the filing that he planned to withdraw his name because he was unaware that a respected family friend, Joanna Refvem, was also looking for that office, which he said would do a better job. And he officially did on Friday, according to Surry County Chief Electoral Officer Michella Huff.
The owner of a company called LazerEdge Designs, Pfitzner, 28, had said his reasons for seeking public office included a desire to inject a youthful element into the city’s leadership, and he has vowed to do so at the future.
Friday was a relatively quiet day for filing at the Dobson Elections office after a busy day Thursday when a flurry of activity around the Mount Airy offices unfolded.
With all the ongoing legal challenges, the nominating period for the 2022 election cycle was allowed to resume statewide on Thursday after being halted in early December.
A primary election is scheduled for May for various local, state and federal offices ahead of the November general election.
The nomination period closes Friday at the Board of Elections office, located in the Surry County Service Center at 915 E. Atkins St. in Dobson.
It will be open for depot each weekday from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Thursday and from 8:15 a.m. to noon on Friday, when the depot closes.
Marion seeks re-election
Across the county, only one candidate filed on Friday based on a split from Huff, Kent Whitaker for the District 3 seat on the Surry County School Board previously held by Early Coe, who resigned last year.
Whitaker, 69, who lives on Siloam Road, Dobson, is a Republican, the same party as the only other person to run in this race so far, Jessica George, 33, of Cheyenne Trail, Siloam, who did in december before closing .
Other previously unreported filings, as of Thursday, include those of incumbent County Commissioner Mark Marion, 63, a Republican who represents the Central District and is seeking his second four-year term, and fellow GOP member Landon Tolbert , 30 years, for the same seat.
Marion lives on Lake Elva Lane, Dobson, while Tolbert is a Mount Airy resident of George Chandler Road.
Municipal campaigns take shape
Some interesting battles are taking place in Mount Airy, where the elections are non-partisan.
Former Mount Airy mayor Deborah Cochran, 59, of Allred Mill Road, stood as a candidate on Thursday to run for the city council seat she also held before being elected to the highest office in the municipality.
Current longtime South Ward Commissioner Steve Yokeley, 74, a resident of Greystone Lane, is also seeking the at-large seat now held by fellow Commissioner candidate Joe Zalescik.
Confused yet?
Zalescik, 61, of West Devon Drive, dropped the seat now held by Yokeley on Thursday.
It was part of an agreement between the two, Zalescik explained, due to a quirk in the municipal electoral process whereby the person winning the universal seat will only serve the last two years of an unexpired term before serving. be re-elected.
Since Yokeley is said to be “cooling off” and is interested in a short-term proposal, he opted to run for the position while Zalescik wants a longer term which the South Ward would offer with a term. full four years.
Gene Clark, 59, of Newsome Street, also filed for the South Ward job on Thursday.
John Pritchard, 77, who lives on Ridgecrest Drive, threw his hat into the ring Thursday for the North Ward Commissioners race in which Refvem, 67, of Montclaire Drive, is now the only other contender.
That seat is currently held by Jon Cawley, 59, of Country Club Road, who is running for mayor in an area that now includes current mayor Ron Niland, 66, of Folly Farm Circle, and Teresa Lewis, 63 years, another former Grand Commissioner for whom no civic address is listed.
All three had filed in December.
List of candidates to date
As of the close of business Friday, this list of job seekers since December was in place, except for the city and county runs already listed, with four more filing days remaining:
• Walter D. Harris, 68, of Tanglewood Drive, who is running for a Mount Airy District seat on the Surry Board of Commissioners, currently held by first-term incumbent and fellow Republican Bill Goins, who did not filed;
• Outgoing Southern District Commissioner Eddie Harris, 60, of State Road, and GOP challenger Tessa Saeli, 48, of Claremont Drive in Elkin;
• Incumbent Republican Sheriff Steve Hiatt, 58, of North Main Street, Mount Airy;
• Another GOP incumbent, District Attorney Tim Watson 62, of Edgewood Drive, Mount Airy;
• Four people vying for three local district court judge seats, including incumbents Marion Boone, 59, of Phillip Branch Road, Mount Airy, and Thomas Langan, 48, of Deer Trace Lane, Pilot Mountain; Gretchen Hollar Kirkman, 48, of Saddle Creek Way, Mount Airy, former judge; and Mark Miller, 39, of Mitchell Ridge Road, Elkin. All are on the GOP ticket;
• Republican candidates for the court registry, including first-term incumbent Neil Brendle, 45, no street list given; Teresa O’Dell, 60, former employee of Kate Street, Mount Airy; and Melissa Marion Welch, 41, of Surrey Court Drive, Dobson;
• Candidates for the District 2 seat on the Surry Board of Education, including Democratic incumbent Mamie McKinney Sutphin, 44, of Pilot Mountain, no street list given, and Republicans Tony L. Hutchens, 57, of Swansboro Lane, Mount Airy and Brent Long, 56, of Tom’s Creek Bluff Lane, Pilot Mountain;
• A candidate for County School Board District 4, Republican TJ Bledsoe, 40, of Stone Harbor Lane, Dobson.
• Incumbent Democrat Tim Matthews, 65, of Barrington Drive, the at-large member of the Mount Airy Board of Education, no one having so far filed for his seats in Districts A and B;
• Sarah Stevens, 61, of Margaret Drive, Mount Airy, and challenger Benjamin Romans, 36, of Roaring River, also a GOP member;
• Four Republicans seeking the State Senate seat from the 66th District serving Surry and other counties: Shirley Randleman, 71, of Wilkesboro, who previously represented Surry; Eddie Settle, 62, of East Carter Mill Road, Elkin; Vann Tate, 57, a retired member of the NC Highway Patrol who lives on Old Toast Road, Mount Airy; and Lee Zachary, 75, of Yadkinville.
Candidates in the NC House and Senate races file their nominations with their respective election commissions.
Those seeking federal positions such as congressional seats file with the State Board of Elections in Raleigh.
