In both the March 5 primaries and Nov. 5 elections this year, local voters will soon make their mark in reshaping state congressional races, the county’s board of commissioners, and the school board.
Stanly County voters have a history of coming to the polls for their democratic duties.
In 2022, over half (53.6%) of registered voters in the county voted in the November general election, making their voices heard in the ballot box while exceeding the averages of 47.3% in North Carolina and 46% nationally.
Fresh faces to compete in NC House District 67
In three months, Oakboro resident Cody Huneycutt or Albemarle resident Brandon King will win the Republican Party primary race for the District 67 seat of the North Carolina House of Representatives.
With Rep. Wayne Sasser (R) announcing that he will not seek his fourth term, the state congressman has thrown his support behind Huneycutt, who worked for him in a policy advisor role and has eight years of overall experience in the NC General Assembly.
Huneycutt’s opponent, King, is a sitting Stanly County Commissioner and the current owner of Albemarle Outdoor Supply. In November, the GOP winner will compete against Daniel Quick (D) of Badin for Sasser’s seat.
NC Senate District 33 set for rematch of 2022 candidates
In a rematch of the 2022 general election for the state Senate’s District 33 seat (representing Stanly County and Rowan County), two China Grove residents — Republican incumbent Sen. Carl Ford and Democrat Tangela (Lucy Horne) Morgan — will face off in November. Once again, neither nominee has a primary challenger.
Ford came away with 73.3% of the votes (52,235) in 2022, nearly tripling Morgan’s 26.7% (19,058).
Seeking his fourth term in the seat, Ford assumed office on January 1, 2019. He previously represented the 76th district in the NC House of Representatives for three terms beginning in 2013, going unchallenged in three consecutive general elections.
A pair of competitive races for Stanly County Board of Commissioners
In the county’s board of commissioners, two of the board’s seven seats are up for grabs this year.
For the contested At-Large seat, Locust resident and incumbent Scott Efird will challenge Stanfield resident Levi Greene in March’s GOP primary race of Stanfield. In November, the winner of the two Republicans will have a Libertarian challenger in Melvin B. Poole of Oakboro, who previously served on the county’s school board for 22 years.
In the other commissioners’ race seeking the District 5 seat, two GOP candidates — incumbent Peter Asciutto of Albemarle and Billy Dean Mills of Albemarle — will meet in the March primary.
At-Large seat brings potential change to Stanly County Board of Education
While five of the Stanly school board’s seven seats are up for election, all but one are unopposed.
Republican incumbents Bill Sorenson of Norwood (District 2), Glenda Gibson of Albemarle (District 3), Vicky Watson of Gold Hill (District 4), and Carla Poplin of Albemarle (District 5) are each running unchallenged to hold their current school board seats.
For the Stanly County Board of Education At-Large race, Albemarle resident and incumbent Rufus Lefler (R) and Meghan Almond (R) of Stanfield will challenge each other in March. In 2022, Almond came within 67 votes and less than one percentage point (50.4% and 49.6%) of overtaking board member Dustin Lisk in the District 1 seat race.