Interest on the upswing for elections; five more file

Interest appears to be increasing in local politics as the filing period continues, with five more candidates, including two incumbents, filing notices of candidacy with the Alleghany County Board of Elections.

The two incumbents who have filed are Alleghany Board of Education board member Brad Mabe, age 44, of Mabe Road in Laurel Springs and Alleghany Commissioner Milly Richardson, age 51, of West Whitehead Street in Sparta. Mabe, a Democrat who filed on Feb. 12, is a delivery driver G&B Oil Company. Richardson, another Democrat who filed Monday (Feb. 15), is a farmer and insurance agent. Ms. Richardson is in her first term on the commission, having won her seat in 2006.

While Mabe is an incumbent, he actually is running for his first full term on the school board after taking over the position by appointment of the Democrat Party following Mitch Franklin's March 2009 resignation.

The other two incumbents on the county commission whose seats are up for re-election are 51-year-old Democrat Vice Chairman Randy Miller of Cedarbrook Lane in Sparta, employed by Blevins Building Supply, and 47-year-old Republican Christmas tree farmer and school teacher Doug Murphy of Memorial Park Drive in Sparta. Neither of the two men, both serving their first term after having been elected in 2006, had filed as candidates as of Tuesday.

On the commission, filing Feb. 12 was 65-year-old Lowes Hardware retiree Wayne C. Sparks. Sparks, a Democrat, lives on Sparks Hill in Sparta.

Filing on Feb. 8 were two Republicans—47-year-old Sparta Florist and Gifts owner John Goudreau and Kathy Murphy, age 51, of New Haven Road in Sparta. Murphy is a former county planner for Alleghany. Goudreau lives on Deer Ridge Lane in Sparta.

In addition to Mabe on the Board of Education, the other two incumbents whose seats are up for re-election are 65-year-old Democrat Chair Clarence Crouse of Little River Drive in Sparta and 75-year-old Democrat Vice Chair Betsy Doughton Dillon of Skyland Drive in Sparta. Neither had filed as of Tuesday. Both Crouse and Dillon are finishing up their second consecutive term on the board (eight years).

Crouse is a retired school principal and a former superintendent, and Dillon is a retired teacher. Meanwhile, two newcomers have filed notices of candidacy. They are Republican Becky Hamm of Mitchell Mountain Road in Sparta and Republican Eric Thomas of Doctors Street in Sparta. Hamm, age 32, is employed at B&T Quicklube in Sparta and Thomas age 41, is the director of Grandview Memorial Funeral Home.

Thus far unopposed is Alleghany County Sheriff David "Squeak" Edwards, who filed Feb. 8. Edwards, a 50-year-old Republican who lives on U.S. Highway 221 in Sparta, is finishing up his first term in office. Edwards defeated long-time Democrat Mike Caudill in the last election in 2006.

Also thus far unopposed is Alleghany County Clerk of Superior Court Susie Gambill, age 59, of Shiloh Church Road in Sparta. Gambill, a Democrat who also filed Feb. 8, has served six consecutive terms.

Those interested in seeking local office may do so at the Alleghany County Board of Elections office in the lower floor of the County Administration Building at 348 S. Main St. Filing will conclude Feb. 26 at noon.

Candidates must be at least 18 years old, must be registered to vote and must live in Alleghany to run for a local office, or within the district to seek the N.C. House or Senate seats. Potential candidates must also file by party affiliation. Those registered unaffiliated must file by petition.

Local filing fees are as follows: board of education, $5; county commission, $30; sheriff, $474; and clerk of court, $825.

For more information, call the elections office at 372-4557.