Home Local News Unaffiliated, Libertarian candidates among those to file in Richmond County opening day

Unaffiliated, Libertarian candidates among those to file in Richmond County opening day

Michael Legrand looks at paperwork after filing to run as an unaffiliated candidate for the Richmond County Board of Commissioners. Photos by William R. Toler - Richmond Observer

ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Board of Elections saw several familiar and some new faces as filing opened Monday for the 2024 election.

Jeff Smart, chairman of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners, was the first to walk through the doors, followed by state Rep. Ben Moss and Michael Veach, both of whom had been waiting outside for the clock to strike noon.

In 2020, Smart was the top vote-getter in the commissioners’ race, garnering 22%.

That election started the recent Republican wave on the board, with Andy Grooms and Toni Maples also being elected — all three of whom are up for reelection — and Justin Dawkins being appointed to fill the remainder of Moss’ term.

Up to that point, Moss had been the only Republican elected to the board in a century.

The 2022 election saw Dr. Rick Watkins switch his party affiliation, as well as the addition of Robin Roberts and Jason Gainey — making an all-Republican board.

However, there are several candidates looking to change the single-party dominance.

Linda Ross waits to file to run for the Richmond County Board of Commissioners. This is her second time running for a seat on that board.

Linda Ross, who has been a pastor at Faith Assembly Outreach Ministries for nearly a quarter century, filed to run as a Democrat.

Ross previously ran in 2022, as did Michael Legrand.

Legrand is running again in 2024, but has more of a challenge this time around as he’s an unaffiliated candidate.

“I’m in the middle … it lines up more with who I am,” Legrand said after filing.

“I agree and disagree with policies from both (the Republican and Democratic) parties,” Legrand added. “As a Christian, there’s certain things I just can’t support.”

Elections Director Shannon Hearne said Legrand will have to collect signatures from 4% of the county’s registered voters. That number is currently 1,129, however, Hearne said the N.C. State Board of Elections will be updating statistics next month.

While a win as an unaffiliated candidate is an uphill battle, it’s not unprecedented in Richmond County.

Former commissioner Kenneth Robinette, who served as chairman for two decades, was elected to his final term as an unaffiliated candidate.

Richard Robinson is running for the Richmond County Board of Commissioners as a Libertarian.

“They make it almost impossible to run unaffiliated,” said Richard Robinson, who is also running for the Board of Commissioners — as a Libertarian.

Robinson, an Army veteran, opened the local bar Double Vision in 2019 and is in the process of starting a brewery. He said he wants to educate voters on the small-government ideals of libertarianism and “steer them away from the two-party system.”

The only other local candidate in recent years to run as a Libertarian was P.H. Dawkins, who challenged Gene McLaurin and Tom McInnis in 2014 for a state Senate seat. McInnis won the race and represented Richmond County before moving to a Moore County district.

Maples also filed for reelection.

While chatting about why he’s running for the Richmond County Board of Education, Veach said it should be an “unbiased governing board” that should let the superintendent do what he was hired to do.

Jerry Etheridge was the only school board member to file for reelection on Monday. He is currently serving his third term, after spending 35 years in the classroom.

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Chairman Wiley Mabe and board member Ronald Tilman are also up for reelection.

The school board is non-partisan.

Kimberly Roberts is running for the position of Register of Deeds. She was appointed to the position in August.

Kimberly Roberts, who was appointed in August to fill out the remainder of the now-retired Linda Douglas’ term, filed for the first time to run as Register of Deeds. She filed as a Democrat.

Click here to read more about Roberts’ appointment.

Moss is running for his third term in the N.C. House of Representatives. As previously mentioned, Moss had served as a commissioner before being elected to his first state term.

Click here to read more about Moss.

Moss had considered running for Commissioner of Labor, but withdrew in July. Rep. John Hardister, R-Guilford, filed for the office on Monday.

Filing ends at noon on Dec. 15.

State Rep. Ben Moss shakes hands with Board of Education member Jerry Ethridge at the Richmond County Board of Elections.



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Managing Editor William R. Toler is an award-winning writer and photographer with experience in print, television and online media.