The filing period for the November 7th elections ended at Noon today (Friday) but not before several last minute filings. Altogether, there will be contested races in 8 of 11 municipalities in Johnston County this year including contested races for mayor in Benson, Four Oaks, Kenly and Selma.
Smithfield
Two contested town council races will be on the ballot this fall.
District 1 councilman Marlon Lee will be challenged by Kevin Peacock and Ava Atkinson Gaines. District 2 incumbent Perry Harris will have opposition from Tim Johnson and David Stevens.
District 3 incumbent Travis Scott is unopposed. In District 4, incumbent Roger Wood did not seek a second term. Dr. David Barbour was the only candidate to file for the seat and is unopposed.
Mayor Andy Moore is unopposed for reelection.
Selma
There will be a contested race for mayor and two town council seats.
On Friday, Ann Williams became the 5th candidate to file for the two council seats where both incumbents Jackie Lacy and William Overby are seeking another 4 year term. John Radford and Eric Jackson have also filed for town council.
Incumbent Mayor Cheryl Oliver will have opposition from town councilman Tommie Holmes and newcomer Timmy Wayne Strickland.
Clayton
Three incumbents for Clayton Town Council will face opposition from three challengers.
Council members Art Holder, Michael Grannis and Bob Satterfield have opposition this year from Bobby Bunn, Yolanda Peterson and Brian Snell.
The mayor’s seat is not up for election this year.
Archer Lodge
Incumbent council members Mark Wilson and Teresa Bruton will not have any opposition in 2017. No one filed to oppose the two incumbent board members.
The Archer Lodge mayor’s seat is not up for election this year.
Benson
Two candidates are seeking the seat being vacated by Mayor William Massengill Jr. Jerry Medlin and Tracy Johnson have both filed for the position.
There will be no contested race for town council. Three candidates filed for the 3 at large Benson commissioners seats: Ray Adams, William Neighbors and Jim Johnson.
Four Oaks
Incumbent Mayor Linwood Parker will have opposition this year after a candidate filed to challenge him Friday just before the filing deadline. Johnston County Emergency Management Director Kim Robertson will challenge Parker.
Six candidates are seeking two open council seats. Incumbent John Hatch is seeking reelection this year but Commissioner Walter Holt did not seek another term. In addition to Hatch, the other candidates include: Roy Adams, Walt Rabon, Mike Hines, Danny Toppings and Stanley Johnson.
Kenly
Bonnie Williamson who was appointed mayor earlier this year after the surprise resignation of David Grady is seeking reelection as Kenly’s mayor. Williamson will face opposition from two candidates this fall, Terry Baker and Wade Troutman Jr.
Six people are vying for two open Kenly council seats: Trinity Henderson, Jacqueline Fisher, Janna Rogerson, Richard Alton Mitchell, Shane Lawhorn, and Mark Smith.
Princeton
Princeton Mayor Don Raines will not have opposition this year but there is a contested race for town council.
Two seats on the Princeton town board are open. Incumbent Larry Withrow has filed along with John Brantley and Susan Watson.
Wilson’s Mills
Wilson’s Mills will have a new mayor this year. Jim Uzzle Jr. filed for mayor and is unopposed. Current Mayor Phillip Wright filed for town council. Wright is one of six candidates running for 3 open council seats. The others include the three incumbents, Kenneth Jones, Fleta Byrd and Randy Jernigan. Also filing was Joseph S. Evans and David McGowan.
Pine Level
All 5 incumbents up for reelection this year will return.
Mayor Jay “Jeff” Holt will not have any opposition. All 4 candidates on the town board are unopposed for reelection to 4 year terms: Phil Pittman, Greg Baker, Jimmy Garner and Karen Anderson.
Micro
Incumbent Mayor Walter “Jay” Warren Jr. returns for another term unopposed this year. No one filed to challenge the one term mayor. Former Mayor Jim Wiesner said he planned to run in 2017 but did not file.
Three open seats on the town board will be filled by Kevin Worley, Russell Creech (I) and Jay Langston (I).
