Even though the school board election isn’t until next year, another Burke County resident has made it known he plans to be a candidate.
Jeffrey Beck opened a campaign committee Tuesday for the eastern board of education seat, said Debbie Mace, director of elections for Burke County. Burke County Board of Education Chair Wendi Craven currently holds that seat.
Beck isn’t the only one who has opened a campaign committee to run for school board.
Jamey Wycoff opened a campaign committee on April 13 to run for the at-large seat of the board of education, The News Herald previously reported.
Wycoff applied last year to fill the unexpired term on the school board of R.L. Icard, who died on Nov. 27, 2021. The school board chose Seth Hunt to serve out the term for the at-large seat.
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Opening a campaign committee allows candidates to accept and spend campaign contributions.
The Burke County Board of Education has traditionally held its election during odd years but that won’t be the case moving forward.
The legislature, through a local bill in 2021, moved the board of education election to even-numbered years and also made the board partisan. That same bill also changed the school board elections in Caldwell County from nonpartisan to partisan.
The school board election, because it will be partisan, will hold its next primary election in March 2024, according to election officials.
As for the municipal elections this year, two people have indicated they plan to run for election.
Laura Melott opened a campaign committee in early April in preparation for filing and running for a seat on the Drexel Board of Aldermen, The News Herald previously reported.
And, as previously reported, Morganton Mayor Ronnie Thompson opened a campaign committee in early January to run for re-election.
Filing for municipal elections this year starts at noon on July 7.
The towns of Rutherford College and Hildebran will not hold elections this year but will be on the ballot next year with the school board elections. Those towns, through state legislation, chose to move their elections to even-numbered years.
Because Rutherford College and Hildebran elections won’t be on the ballot this year, there will be 13 precincts that won’t be open this year because they don’t contain any municipality voters, according to election officials.
The precincts that will be closed on Election Day this year are:
- Drexel No. 3 precinct (High Peak Baptist Church)
- Icard No. 2 (George Hildebran Fire Department)
- Icard No. 3 (Hildebran Municipal Gym)
- Jonas Ridge (Jonas Ridge Fire Department)
- Linville No. 1 (Longtown Fire Department)
- Linville No. 2 (Lake James Fire Department)
- Quaker Meadows 1B (Quaker Meadows Presbyterian Church)
- Silvercreek No. 2 (West End Fire Department)
- Upper Creek (Smyrna Baptist Church)
- Upper Fork (Enola Fire Department)
- Chesterfield Ruritan Club
- Lower Fork (South Mountain Fire Department)
- Pilot Mountain
For more information about seats up for election or filing a campaign committee, call the Burke County Board of Elections at 828-764-9010.
