As of late Friday afternoon, four individuals were certified as candidates in the April 7 municipal election for seats on the Town Board. The deadline for filing nomination paperwork is Monday, Jan. 26, at 5 p.m.
Incumbents Bill Brown and Kirby Hazelton were the first to file their official paperwork. In the last week, candidates Randy Welch and Chris Eshelman have also been certified.
Until Trustee Cindy Younglund announced her resignation on Jan. 13, only three seats on the Town Board were slated to be filled through the election process. However, at its Jan. 27 meeting, the current Town Board will consider adopting a resolution declaring a vacancy on the Board so the seat can be filled by the candidate receiving the fourth-highest number of votes in the upcoming election.
According to Town Clerk Jackie Williamson, if that resolution is adopted and only four candidates remain certified to run for office, an election will still be held, and the vote count will determine which candidate will complete the final two years of Younglund’s term.
Brown and Hazelton are eligible for reelection. Brown was elected in 2024 for a two-year term, and Hazelton was elected in 2022 for a four-year term.
Marie Cenac, who has been serving as Mayor Pro Tem, has served on the board for two full terms and is ineligible to run again in this election cycle.
Candidates who want their name to appear on the ballot have until 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, to submit nomination forms to the Town Clerk’s office.
Registered electors who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to be a candidate and hold office if they have resided within Town limits for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the April 7 election. The petition to be a candidate must be signed by at least 10 registered electors residing within the Town limits.
Anyone missing the Jan. 26 filing deadline can be included in the race by submitting an affidavit declaring they are a write-in candidate by Feb. 2, which is also the last day for a candidate to withdraw from the election. To obtain the latest information about whose petitions have been certified as valid and who will appear as candidates on the April 7 ballot, the Town Clerk’s office has established a web page that details information as it is received.