Tuesday election will decide close town council race
By Frank Ruggiero
ruggiero@wataugademocrat.com

After Halloween, people usually consider the next major holidays Veterans’ Day and Thanksgiving.

The Watauga County Board of Elections would like to issue a reminder that Election Day comes first.

On Tuesday, Nov. 6, the board encourages voters to celebrate this particular holiday by visiting the polls and casting their ballots.

In addition to a closely contested Boone town council runoff, the towns of Blowing Rock, Beech Mountain and Seven Devils will elect municipal positions.

Boone runoff
When a record number of votes was cast in the Oct. 9 town of Boone municipal election, an official canvass soon led to a runoff declaration.

Boone Area Planning Commission member and town council candidate Liz Aycock received 1,050 votes, while incumbent council candidate Dempsey Wilcox received 1,046, and the two will face each other in the Nov. 6 runoff.

Also for council, planning commissioner and candidate Stephen Phillips was the top earner with 1,081 votes, followed by incumbent Lynne Mason with 1,067. Incumbent Bunk Spann lost his seat with 1,035 votes.

For the office of mayor, incumbent Loretta Clawson earned 1,260 votes, while challenger Tim Wilson earned 943.

A record 2,259 people voted in this year’s election, amounting to approximately 23 percent of registered Boone voters.

A nonpartisan election, the runoff is scheduled for Nov. 6. Voting precincts are as follows:

Boone 1 – Watauga County Administration Building
Boone 2 – Linville Falls Room in the ASU Plemmons Student Union
Boone 3 – ASU Farthing Auditorium
New River 1 – Watauga High School
New River 2 – Three Forks Baptist Association Building
New River 3 – National Guard Armory
Blue Ridge (within city limits) – National Guard Armory
Brushy Fork (within city limits) – Watauga County Administration Building

Blowing Rock
In this particular race, Patsy “Pat” Fountain, Phillip Pickett, Rita Wiseman and Albert Yount are vying for two seats on the town council, while incumbent J.B. Lawrence is running unopposed for mayor.
The polling place for Blowing Rock is Blowing Rock Town Hall.

Beech Mountain
Randy Corn, Alan Holcombe, Richard Owen and Paul Piquet are running for three seats on the Beech Mountain Town Council. The mayor is selected from within the council.
The polling place for Beech Mountain is the Beech Mountain Fire Department.

Seven Devils
Kathy Copley, Richard DeMott, Vance Brian Duggan, David Ehmig, Clyde “Butch” McLean and Bill Wilkinson are vying for three seats on the Seven Devils Town Council. The mayor is selected from within the council.
The polling place for Seven Devils is the Foscoe Fire Department.

For more information, contact the Watauga County Board of Elections at (828) 265-8061.