Past municipal elections in Cherokee County have been a mixed bag, with Andrews turning over the entire board of aldermen some years and the Murphy Town Council staying relatively intact. However, this fall could result in big changes – or very little, depending on what citizens decide.
With no need for a primary election this year, registered voters from all political parties – or none at all – in both towns will head to the polls for the general election Tuesday, Nov. 2. I appreciate the fact that belong to a political party isn’t playing as big role in this process as the candidates’ overall character and viewpoints.
Before Andrews adopted staggered terms, twice in the last two decades the mayor and board of aldermen were all voted out, making it a challenge to even turn on the lights at town hall come Dec. 1, when the new folks are scheduled to take over. This year, there are a plethora (not necessarily a veritable plethora) of candidates to choose from before making your decision.
Three people are running for mayor of Andrews: local resident J.L. Franklin, incumbent James Reid and political activist Randy Hogsed, making this the first three-person race in some time. Seven people are running for two seats on the Andrews Board of Aldermen: longtime incumbent Steve Jordan, Glenn Parker, Jason Raxter, Alton Raymond III, Brandi Smith, Bryan Tomlin and Rebecca Woodard.
This is a solid group to choose from, although I admit at least one person’s nickname still makes me laugh out loud. For complete transparency, I am friends with Rebecca Woodard, as we have been part of MountainView Church’s music ministry for the last decade together, and she is one of the most genuine people I know. (If her last name rings a bell, it could be because her husband, Clay County sheriff’s Lt. Heath Woodard, is running for Cherokee County sheriff.)
Cross county in Murphy, most of the last several elections have been pretty clear-cut, with obvious favorites. However, that might not be the case this year.
Two people are running for mayor of Murphy: Jeff Crane, who also ran four years ago, and Tim Radford of WKRK radio, who ethically announced that he will be leaving the airwaves in order to not give himself a perceived advantage over his opponent. With Mayor Rick Ramsey not seeking re-election, a new town leader is a certainty later this year.
Seven people aren running for six seats on the Murphy Town Council: incumbent Frank Dickey, Keisha Dockery, incumbent Barbara Hughes, incumbent Barry McClure, Chandler Pash, Anne Rose and incumbent Gail Walker Stansell. That means there will be at least two new council members, and it’s good to see local business owners getting more involved.
While some people think the “media” (I hate that term, by the way; we’re your local newspaper) and politicians are always at odds, truth is I feel more empathy for officials today than ever. We face some of the same challenges – as in no matter what we do or write, some people still won’t believe it’s right, then take delight in running us down on social media – so I always root for the people elected to office to succeed, regardless of how my personal ballot looked.
Having enough quality candidates for people to make a decision as to who runs their government – and never forget that it’s our government – is one of the most basic tenets of democracy. I’m happy to live in a county filled with people who want to see our towns grow in a positive direction and aren’t afraid to jump in and help out.