Godwin mayor seeks new term; challenger files for Spring Lake board

Godwin Mayor Willie Burnette filed for reelection on Wednesday, the fourth day of filing for 2023 municipal elections.

In Spring Lake, a new challenger emerged for the Board of Aldermen as Jackie Lee Jackson filed for a seat, according to the Cumberland County Board of Elections Office.

Those were the only new candidates listed Wednesday on the elections website.

Jackson will be on the ballot with challengers Daniel B. Gerald and Katrina (Bell) Bratcher and incumbents Sona L. Cooper, Adrian Jones Thompson, Marvin Lackman and Raul Palacios. Spring Lake Mayor Kia Anthony filed for reelection on Monday.

Earlier filings

Fayetteville 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 City Council districts, the incumbents have filed to retain their seats while challengers have emerged in two districts. They are:

• District 1: Incumbent Kathy Keefe Jensen.
• District 2: Incumbent Shakeyla Ingram and challenger Laura Rodrigues Mussler.
• District 3: Incumbent Mario (Be) Benavente.
• District 4: Incumbent D.J. Haire.
• District 5: Incumbent Johnny Dawkins and challengers Fred G. LaChance III, Justin Herbe and Lynne Bissette Greene.
• District 6: Incumbent Derrick Thompson.
• District 7: Incumbent Brenda McNair.
• District 9: Incumbent Deno Hondros.

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.

Candidates filing for Hope Mills commissioner are Deanna L. Rosario, Pat Edwards and Mark Hess; as well as incumbents Bryan A. Marley, Kenjuana McCray, Jerry Legge, Grilley Mitchell and Joanne Scarola.

Other candidates

The filings in other Cumberland County municipalities include:

• Wade: Incumbent Keven A. Herring filed for the Board of Commissioners
• Godwin: Challenger Angela Burnette Lambert filed for Board of Commissioners.
• Eastover: Mayor Charles McLaurin is seeking reelection, and Frederick A. Williams and incumbent Stan Crumpler filed for a seat on the Town Council.
• Linden: Frances B. Collier filed as a challenger for mayor, and Barbara C. Denning as a challenger for the Board of Commissioners.
• Stedman: Joseph Manuel filed as a challenger for the Board of Commissioners.

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.

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Contact editor Bobby Parker at bparker@cityviewnc.com.