ROCKINGHAM — Candidates for office in Richmond County are invited to share their views at an upcoming Town Hall forum.
The forum is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. April 25 at the Piney Grove/Galestown Community Center, 641 Midway Road, Rockingham.
Organizers say candidates will have a chance to introduce — or reintroduce — themselves to the public and present their respective agendas, with a question-and-answer period afterward.
The race for the Richmond County Board of Commissioners currently has multiple candidates from the two main parties and two who are petitioning to be on the ballot.
Democratic candidates are: incumbents Don Bryant and Tavares Bostic; and challengers Abbie Covington, Tyrannia Ellerbe, Michael Legrand, Linda Ross and Kevin Clark.
Those running on the Republican ticket are: incumbents Justin Dawkins and Rick Watkins; and challengers Thomas Davenport, Danny Pearson, Karen Everett, Jason Gainey and Robin Roberts.
The field will be narrowed down to four candidates from each party in the May 17 primary election. The two petitioning candidates, Joe Ward and Bryan Stanback, must submit 1,094 valid signatures to the Richmond County Board of Elections the same day to make it on the November ballot.
Eight candidates, including three incumbents are vying for four seats on the Richmond County Board of Education: incumbents Joe Richardson, Bobbie Sue Ormsby, and Daryl Mason; and challengers Cory Satterfield, Scotty Baldwin, Bess Shuler, Eddie Rainwater and Jeremy McKenzie.
The fourth seat was held by Pat Campbell, who recently passed away.
The Democratic primary will also have two candidates in the contest for Richmond County sheriff: current office holder Mark Gulledge, who was appointed last August following the unexpected death of Sheriff James E. Clemmons Jr.; and former New York officer Nigel Bristow. Joe Cagle, another potential candidate, is collecting signatures.
Clerk of Court Vickie Daniel is being challenged by Ashley Brower, who is also collecting signatures. Brower began the petitioning process unaffiliated but has since registered as a Republican.
Click here to read more on the other local, state and federal races.
Any candidate interested in participating in the forum should notify John Mack by April 18 by calling 336-317-4176.
The Ashley Chapel community is also holding a candidate forum on April 14.
CORRECTION: The contact phone number has been corrected. 4-422 11:09 a.m.
