For most people, the passing of Labor Day means the approach of autumn and cooler weather. But for conscientious voters, it means something completely different – the kickoff to campaign season.
With election day quickly approaching on Nov. 5, candidates across the country have pulled the trigger of the proverbial starting pistol in their efforts to win elective offices. So, while the leaves are beginning to fall, yard signs are popping up, and internet, radio, and television advertisements are taking over our phones, computers, and public airwaves.
For many local voters, the 2024 election season will be drama-free, presidential and statewide races notwithstanding.
It might be a shocker if the challengers to Congressmen Chuck Edwards, State Senator Kevin Corbin, and State Representative Karl Gillespie mounted any serious threat to the incumbents that swept these deep-red Western North Carolina counties in their last elections. But that is the hope for Democrats Caleb Rudow, Adam Tebrugge, and Nancy Curtis, respectively.
For the Macon County Commissioner positions on the ballot, Barry Breeden avoided a November election-day contest when he locked in his seat representing District III by defeating incumbent Paul Higdon in the March 5 Republican primary. The same goes for incumbent Josh Young, after he defeated Chris Browning in the March primary as well.
Neither candidate has a Democratic challenger.
The only race for judge with any competition is the N.C. Court of Appeals, Seat 15, where Republican Chris Freeman is taking on Democrat Martin E. Moore.
The other judicial elections would normally be District 43 District Court Judge seats. But Republicans Tessa Shelton Sellers, Kristy L. Parton, Kaleb Wingate, Virginia Hornsby, and Democrats Monica Hayes Leslie, and Justin B. Greene are all preparing to take their seats unopposed.
Last on the ballot will be Mike Breedlove’s candidacy for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. He is also running unopposed.
Competition for education
One competitive election in this area is the Macon County Board of Education District 4 seat, where incumbent Jim Breedlove is being challenged by John deVille and Danny Reitmeier.
Breedlove, who has held the seat for 16 years, appears to be focusing his campaign on completing the job of local school capital improvements. In a July 14 message to voters on Facebook, the incumbent listed his top priorities as: the construction and completion of the new state-of-the-art Frankin High School; the implementation and completion of the Highlands Middle School renovations and modifications to the main building; the replacement of the sewage treatment facility at Nantahala School; and, improvements at the Macon Middle School track for student athletes.
For his campaign, deVille is leaning into his extensive experience as a public school teacher. His website touts his desire to see a closer relationship between teachers and administrators; holding students to high standards; and, promoting “critical thinking, to foster empowerment in students, to watch them find and develop their own voices.”
A Franklin native, Reitmeier is a lifelong Macon County resident who served more than eight years in the Air Force and has been a member of Holly Springs Baptist Church for 30 years.
Reitmeier, who is making his second run at a school board seat, listed his top priorities as: the promotion of parent, staff, and public input; Christian, God-centered ethics and principles; improving the school report card average; fighting to protect the original intent of Title IX for female sports; and, improving the bus/transportation issues.
Besides the three-way competition, a potentially interesting aspect to the race is that the winning candidate only needs to earn more than 33.33% to win. According to the Macon County Board of Elections, if a candidate gets a majority of votes, the candidate with the most votes wins, unless the second-place finisher requests a runoff. No date has been set for a potential runoff.
Sign stealing
While many of the seats up for grabs on Election Day may be without competition or drama, this campaign season is not entirely boring.
Apparently, there have been a number of campaign sign thefts around the county in the past, and Melanie Thibault, director of the Macon County Board of Elections, has heard it from both sides.
“I met with both the Republican and Democratic party chairs, and, yes, they mentioned some signs have been stolen,” she said. And she reminds the public that anyone caught stealing a campaign sign will face a “Class 3 Misdemeanor.”
According to numerous legal websites across the state, a misdemeanor is the same level of offense as possession of a small amount of marijuana, shoplifting, trespassing, or driving with a revoked license. The penalties can include community service, probation, a $200 fine or even a short jail sentence.
A press conference concerning political sign theft takes place Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Macon County Sheriff’s Office at 18 Patton Avenue.
Election schedule
For individuals simply interested in the legal act of voting, the following dates are notable:
Absentee ballots began being shipped to voters by request on Friday, Sept. 6. Currently, approximately 600 voters have requested absentee ballots, noted Thibault.
Voter registration ends on Friday, Oct. 11, at 5 p.m. Early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 17, and ends Saturday, Nov. 2. Early voting hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Early voting locations in Macon County are the Carpenter Community Building, 1288 Georgia Rd., and the Highlands Civic Center, 600 N. 4th St., Highlands.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5 and all 15 Macon County polling locations will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. In all cases and at all places, voters must show a photo ID in order to cast a ballot. A North Carolina driver’s license is acceptable, but many other types of photo ID will be permitted.
For more information about voting in Macon County, visit https://maconnc.org/board-of-elections-voting.html. A Macon County Board of Elections’ sample ballot is available at: https://maconnc.org/images/Elections/SAMPLE_BALLOT%2011.5.24%20General%20Election.pdf.