Stanly commissioners to ask state legislature for change in election cycle

Published 9:42 am Tuesday, September 20, 2022

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The election cycle for Stanly County’s Board of Commissioners and School Board took a step forward at a recent meeting of the commissioners.

With a unanimous 7-0 vote, commissioners approved a resolution which expressed the board’s desire to move the elections of both governing bodies from a 5-2 election cycle, with five seats up every four years and two seats two years later, to a 4-3 alignment.

In terms of the commissioners, one of the at-large seats for the 2026 primary and general election would be a two-year term, then four seats would be up for election two years later.

The school board would also have an at-large seat be for a two-year term in the 2024 primary and election, with four seats available in 2026.

In the agenda packet for the meeting was a letter from Stanly County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jarrod Dennis showing support of the changes.

North Carolina’s General Assembly in the 2023-24 legislative session would be the body responsible for making the change.

County Manager Andy Lucas said county staff and commissioners have been researching the proposed changes for a couple of years.

Lucas said the goal of the change “is to create a little more continuity in terms of strategic planning and capital planning so you don’t have a super majority leaving the board every four years.”

Chairman Tommy Jordan said it helps to “balance out the knowledge transfer on the electoral process.” He noted with the current 5-2 model, “80 percent of your board could be replaced by freshmen overnight. This preserves a little transfer of knowledge.”

About Charles Curcio

Charles Curcio has served as the sports editor of the Stanly News & Press for more than 16 years and has written numerous news and feature storeis as well. He was awarded the NCHSAA Tim Stevens Media Representative of the Year and named CNHI Sports Editor of the Year in 2014. He has also won an award from Boone Newspapers, and has won four North Carolina Press Association awards.

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