.
Murphy – Competition has emerged in several municipal election races on the November ballot, with filing ending at noon Friday.
All seats on the Murphy Town Council are up for election as well as mayor, while in Andrews, two aldermen seats and mayor are on the ballot. The elections are non-partisan.
In Murphy
Two candidates with radio industry experience have filed to run for mayor. Incumbent first-term Mayor Tim Radford, president and sole owner of WKRK radio, will be defending his seat leading the town. Jeff Crane, formerly of WCNG-WCVP radio and a veteran, will be challenging Radford for the seat.
Crane also ran for mayor in 2021 but dropped out of the race.
Town council members Barry McClure, Charlene Smith, Gail Stansell and Cindy Chastain are all running for re-election.
McClure is a retired school principal. Smith is a dental hygienist who, despite being a write-in candidate, was the top vote-getter in 2021. Stansell is a retired educator. Chastain, who was appointed to the council to replace Barbara Hughes in 2024, works for N.C. Cooperative Extension.
Two other seats remained in limbo as of Monday – incumbent Frank Dickey had not filed as of Monday, and not enough candidates have filed to fill Dickey’s seat or the seat left vacant when Keisha Dockery resigned in summer 2024.
Seats for town council members go to the top six vote-getters in the general election Tuesday, Nov. 4.
In Andrews
On the Andrews Board of Aldermen, Mayor James Reid filed to run for re-election Monday. Reid is a high school custodian and business owner. Three new candidates have filed for two aldermen seats held by Steve Jordan and Brandi Smith – Rex Cable, Heath Woodard and Gary James.
Cable coaches wrestling and teaches math at Andrews High School. Woodard, project manager at Woodard Construction Co. Inc. and a former law enforcement officer, previously ran for Cherokee County sheriff. James is retired from Cherokee County Schools, where he was a custodian and bus driver.
The town newsletter said Jordan planned to seek re-election, but he had not filed as of Monday. Smith has not indicated her intentions.
Election deadlines
- The deadline to file in order to run for office in the 2025 municipal elections is noon Friday.
- The voter registration deadline to participate in North Carolina’s municipal elections set for Tuesday, Nov. 4, is Friday, Oct. 10.