LAURINBURG —There were five who filed Friday for one of the 15 seats open throughout the different municipalities in the county.
On the last day, the town of East Laurinburg finally had someone file for one of the three commissioner seats, incumbent Gail Chavis. However, Chavis is the only one who filed for the three open seats. According to Elections Assistant Chassidy Brewer, that means that the other two seats will be filled by write-ins during the November election.
Two more candidates joined those running for seats in Gibson, Josh Byrd filed for town commissioner while Lisa Bullard Campbell filed for mayor both a challengers for the seats. Both the town commissioner seat and mayoral seat both have three other people in the running for them.
Frank Evans also decided to throw his hat in the ring, joining J.D. Willis, Jim Willis and Paul A. Tate Sr., in the Laurinburg mayoral race. This will give Laurinburg a new mayor as current mayor Dr. Matthew Block is running for District 2 against incumbent Mary Jo Adams and fellow challenger Lavonda Nicole Williams-Gibbs.
In Wagram the last of the current town commissioners filed, Cullen Edwards, who was appointed to the seat just over a year ago after the death of Paschal Stewart, who died in April 2018 having served on the board for more than 25 years.
The general election will be held on Nov. 5 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. with One-Stop Early Voting starting on Oct. 16 and running to Nov. 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Starting Oct. 6 voters can request mail-in absentee ballots with the last day being Oct. 29. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by 5 p.m. on Nov. 5 and received in the elections office by 5 p.m. on Nov. 8.
In order to vote in the election residents must register by Oct. 11. A photo ID is not required during this election.
Laurinburg mayor
— Challenger Frank Evans. Evans is a Scotland County native and longtime Laurinburg resident who currently serves as safety director with Service Transportation in Wallace, South Carolina.
“I am seeking the mayors seat to ensure everyone’s voice is heard,” Evans said. “Street flooding and getting citizens of all ages school age children and adults engaged in their community and reducing spending are my priorities.”
— Challenger James (Jim) Willis co-owns ShirtTales with his wife Francis and has served the community before with three terms on the Board of Education, 1990-1998.
“I‘m running for mayor because I love Laurinburg,” Willis said. “After all those years of service I thought I was done with it, but I had friends and family ask me to consider doing this … I’ve lived here my whole life and I know a lot of people here and I love this town, I love where I live.”
Willis went to Appalachian State and has served on the Scotland Healthcare Board of Trustees, the United Way board, Childcare Directions board, Scots for Youth, Scotland Savings Bank and the Laurinburg Downtown Revitalization Cooperation.
— Challenger Paul A. Tate Sr. is a retired Army Colonel and on call consultant for the Department of Defense/State Department Consultant Contractor.
“As mayor my primary efforts will always be that of honoring our fair city through leadership,” Tate said. “I will dedicate my tenure as Mayor to be a representative to all addressing problems, seeking solutions and always presenting myself as the positive optimistic representative of our great city.”
Tate is a member of First United Methodist Church of Laurinburg, Laurinburg Rotary International, American Legion Post 50, Laurinburg Masonic Lodge and the Association of the United States Army.
— Challenger J.D. Willis is a retired manufacturing manager from Abbott Laboratories.
“I’m running for mayor because I believe the city has to address infrastructure needs,” Willis said. “Those include improving storm drainage, completing the electric-substation and building an additional one to reduce the power outage time, purchasing more land to build wells to continue to provide clean water and to further reduce water and light bills.”
Willis served two years in the United States Army as a Social Worker Psychology Specialist and is a member of St. Mary AME Zion Church where he serves as a trustee. He has served on the board of the Laurinburg-Scotland County Area Chamber of Commerce, Scotland County Literacy Council, Scots for Youth, the United Way, the North Carolina State Family Planning and North Carolina Southeastern Economic Development.
Willis is a member of the Scotland County Civic League and has volunteered as a football coach and basketball coach for Parks and Recreation.
Laurinburg District 1 seat
Challenger Donald Louis Rainer is retired from Pilkington Glass Company and has an associate’s degree from Richmond Community College.
“My enthusiasm for Laurinburg and Scotland County runs deeply,” Rainer said. “I continue to be motivated by the burning desire to make a difference.”
Rainer is a lifelong member of Galilee United Methodist Church where he has received Lay Leader of the Year three times and Usher of the Year in 2018. He has also received the Youth NAACP Service award for 2018. He has served on Galilee’s Administration Council, the United Methodist Men, the Trustee Board and Superintendent of the Sunday School as well as coaching for Parks and Recreation, Scotland High School Band Booster’s and the Scotland County Board of Social Service.
— Challenger Reginald Korrie McNair is the founder of the Life is Good Movement and currently works for Scottish Food Systems at Pizza Inn.
McNair served six years in the United States Military and received an honorable discharge in 2001.
— Incumbent Curtis Leak is retired from Scotland County School System and has numerous terms on the city council.
“Laurinburg is a part of me,” Leak said. “This is a good place to live and a good place to raise your family… I’m running again because of Florence coming through and damaging our fire station on the North side. We need to rebuild or do something before the residents in district one’s insurance rates go up.”
Leak received his degree from Fayetteville State University and is a member of Solid Rock Baptist Church. He is also involved in the NAACP, St. Luke Lodge No. 229, Scotland County Civic League, the Laurinburg-Scotland County Chamber of Commerce, the North Carolina Black Elected Officials, the Scotland County Economic Development Corporation, the Southeastern Economic Development Commission and the Scotland High “First Footers.”
Laurinburg District 2 seat
Incumbent Mary Jo Adams is retired from Scotland County Schools and has received her master’s degree from Campbell University.
“I am a lifelong resident of the city of Laurinburg who chose to return home after college to live, work and raise my family,” Adams said. “I believe we are headed in a positive direction with our downtown initiatives, marketing and economic development efforts, and partnerships locally and statewide. I consider it an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of Laurinburg as a City Council Member.”
Adams attends St. David’s Episcopal Church and has served on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Lumber River Council of Governments and Laurinburg Maxton Airport Commission.
— Challenger Matthew Block, current Laurinburg mayor, filed but did not send information to The Exchange.
— Challenger Lavonda Nicole Williams-Gibbs filed but she did not provide information to the Exchange.
East Laurinburg mayor
— Incumbent Marshall Stevens filed for this seat but did not provide any information to the Exchange.
East Laurinburg town commissioners, 3 seats
— Incumbent Gail Chavis filed for this seat but did not send any information to the Exchange.
Gibson mayor
— Challenger Annie Taylor is a member of the Gibson PH Church and the Tribal Council Woman of Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. She was a graduate of Scotland High School.
— Challenger James “Eric” Stubbs is an employee of Gibson Oil and Gas Co., Inc.
”As Gibson’s next mayor, we together can take Gibson on a path to a bright new future,” Stubbs said. “I am ready to work alongside the town commissioners to make Gibson a better place to visit, work, and live.”
Stubbs is a member of Gibson PH Church, the Gibson fire department and Scotland County Rescue.
— Challenger Randall “Randy” Pearson has worked for Campbell Soup Company for 37 years.
“After being on council since 2005 and with our current mayor not running I would like to take my experience over to the position of mayor,” Pearson said. “The only promise I can make is that I will do my best to serve the citizens of Gibson with the resources we have. Sometimes its best to think smart instead of big.”
Pearson served six years in the National Guard, received education at Richmond Community College and is a member of Tabernacle United Methodist Church.
— Challenger Lisa Bullard Campbell filed for the seat but did not provide any information to the Exchange.
Gibson town commissioners, three seats
— Challenger Josh Byrd. Byrd is a member of the Gibson Fire Department and Scotland County Rescue and has worked in law enforcement for the past 17 years.
“My focus will be on trying to make Gibson a place people are proud to say they live,” Byrd. “I also want to work with the sheriff’s office so that they can take more of a proactive approach the crime in town.”
Byrd is a member of St. John’s Methodist Church.
— Challenger Howard Chavis has been an employee of the town of Gibson for the past 10 years.
“I am running to help improve the town and also to help and hear the community,” Chavis said. “I want to help the work status of the town and to help keep the town clean by sweeping the streets and also picking up trash.”
Chavis served in the United Stater Army for two years, is a member of Gibson Pentecostal Holiness Church and is a graduate of Scotland High School.
— Challenger Jerry Lee Glover has worked in law-enforcement for more than 25 years.
“Don’t be taken over, call Glover for your councilman,” Glover said. “I have a lifelong commitment to public service.”
Glover has a degree in criminal justice and is a member of Bethlehem Missionary Church. He has worked for the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office and Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and North Carolina Department of correction.
— Challenger Marjorie Whitlock filed for the seat but did not provide any information to The Exchange.
Wagram mayor
— Incumbent Milton Farmer filed and did not send any information to The Exchange.
Wagram town commissioners, three seats
— Incumbent Bernice M. Gorham is a retired from Scotland County Schools and is a lifelong resident of Wagram.
“I’ve seen a lot of improvements since I’ve been in office,” Gorham said. “We’ve gotten a new city hall, a new recreation center, the Family Dollar and Dollar General. We’ve had a lot of big improvements and I’d like to continue to see more.”
— Incumbent Kendrick Thomas filed but did not provide any information to The Exchange.
— Incumbent Cullen Edwards filed for the seat but did not provide any information to The Exchange.
Katelin Gandee can be reached at 910-506-3171 or [email protected].
