Laura Rodrigues Mussler filed Tuesday to challenge Fayetteville City Councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram for her District 2 seat as candidates continued to join the field in the 2023 municipal elections.
In other filings, Eastover Mayor Charles McLaurin is seeking reelection, according to the Cumberland County Board of Elections Office website.
Incumbents Jerry Legge and Grilley Mitchell filed to retain their seats on the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners. Eastover Town Council member Stan Crumpler also will run for reelection.
In Spring Lake, incumbent Alderman Sona L. Cooper filed for reelection, and challenger Daniel B. Gerald also filed for a seat.
In Linden, Frances B. Collier filed as a challenger for mayor and Barbara C. Denning as a challenger for the Board of Commissioners.
Joseph Manuel filed as a challenger for a seat on the Stedman Board of Commissioners.
Earlier filings
Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Dawkins will seek to retain his seat in District 5. He will face at least three challengers who filed for the seat on Friday: Fred G. LaChance III, who was defeated by Dawkins in 2022, as well as Justin Herbe and Lynne Bissette Greene.
Incumbent Mayor Mitch Colvin will be challenged again by Freddie de la Cruz. Colvin defeated de la Cruz in 2022 with 63% of the vote to the challenger’s 37%.
In several other City Council districts, the incumbents have filed to retain their seats. They are:
- District 1: Kathy Keefe Jensen.
- District 3: Mario (Be) Benavente.
- District 4: D.J. Haire.
- District 6: Derrick Thompson.
- District 7: Brenda McNair.
- District 9: Deno Hondros.
Also Monday, Spring Lake Mayor Kia Anthony filed for reelection.
Incumbents Adrian Jones Thompson, Marvin Lackman and Raul Palacios filed for reelection to the Spring Lake Board of Aldermen.
In Hope Mills, incumbent Joanne Scarola filed to keep her seat on the Board of Commissioners.
In Wade, incumbent Keven A. Herring filed for the Board of Commissioners, and in Godwin, challenger Angela Burnette Lambert filed for Board of Commissioners.
In Hope Mills, incumbent Mayor Jackie Warner also faces a familiar challenger. Jessie Bellflowers, who served on the Board of Commissioners from 2017 to 2021, and Warner both filed for mayor on Friday, the day that the filing period opened.
In addition to Scarola, candidates filing for Hope Mills commissioner are Deanna L. Rosario; Pat Edwards; Mark Hess; and incumbents Bryan A. Marley, Kenjuana McCray, Jerry Legge and Grilley Mitchell.
In Spring Lake, challenger Daniel B. Gerald joins Katrina (Bell) Bratcher, who filed for a seat on the Board of Aldermen.
In Eastover, Frederick A. Williams filed for a seat on the Town Council.
Filing deadlines
Candidates can file for all municipal elections through noon July 21, according to the Board of Elections.
The city of Fayetteville primary is scheduled Oct. 10, and the general election for all municipalities is Nov. 7.
Municipal offices that will be on the ballot include:
- Fayetteville: mayor, all nine City Council seats.
- Eastover Sanitary District: one board member.
- Eastover: mayor, three town council seats.
- Falcon: mayor, all four council seats.
- Godwin: mayor, all four council seats.
- Hope Mills: mayor, all five council seats.
- Linden: mayor, all five council seats.
- Spring Lake: mayor, all five council seats.
- Stedman: three council seats.
- Wade: mayor, all five council seats.
Anyone who is registered to vote in the contest in which they would run can file a candidacy. Voters do not have to belong to a political party to run for municipal office.
The only other eligibility requirement is to be 21 or older on Election Day. Any candidate who has been convicted of a felony must also disclose that information when filing for office.
To file a candidacy, candidates must complete a notice of candidacy form at the Cumberland County Board of Elections in the E. Newton Smith Center at 227 Fountainhead Lane. Alternatively, candidates can have the form notarized and delivered to the Board of Elections office.
Additional information about candidate petitions is available at https://www.ncsbe.gov/candidates/petitions.
Prospective candidates can find more information and forms by visiting the Board of Elections website at Board of Elections website.