Election Day has arrived

Diane Turbyfill, The Shelby Star
·2 min read
Lisa Borders leaves after casting her vote early Tuesday morning, Nov. 2, 2021, at Walls Memorial Baptist Church on Elizabeth Avenue near Shelby.
Lisa Borders leaves after casting her vote early Tuesday morning, Nov. 2, 2021, at Walls Memorial Baptist Church on Elizabeth Avenue near Shelby.

While voters will decide today who represents them in the U.S. Senate and various offices including judgeships, the most contested local race is for a seat on the Cleveland County Board of Education.

Eight candidates will vie for four slots. Democrats on the ballot include Phillip Glover, Dena Green, Meghan Hoppes and Coleman Hunt. Republicans running include Ronnie Grigg, Walter Scott Spurling, Danny Blanton and Aaron Bridges.

Uncontested local races

Current Cleveland County Board of Commissions members Deb Hardin and Doug Bridges, both Republicans, are running unopposed.

Sheriff Alan Norman, District Attorney Mike Miller and Clerk of Superior Court Lacey Ingle Ange are all running uncontested.

Sales tax

A proposed sales tax increase will be on the ballot, and if approved, the funds generated will benefit local schools.

Cleveland County residents will have the opportunity to vote for or against the sales tax referendum. If passed, the sales tax would change from 6.75% to 7%.  This would equate to an additional $0.25 cents on a $100 purchase.

Alcohol referendum

Boiling Springs residents will see mixed beverages on the ballot.

They will vote for or against “the sale of mixed beverages in hotels, restaurants, private clubs, community theatres, and convention centers and the on-premises and off-premises sale of malt beverages and unfortified wine in qualified establishments.”

Residents approved the sale of beer and wine in 2018.

Early voting

Cleveland County saw 16,297 voters cast ballots early, that's 24% of the 67,567 registered voters.

Broken down into parties, voters were:

  • Democrat: 5,777

  • Republican: 6,428

  • Unaffiliated: 4,058

  • Libertarian: 34

  • Green: 0

Results

Polls open at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and close at 7:30 p.m.

Unofficial results will be posted on The Star’s website, shelbystar.com, Tuesday night. Because of print deadlines, election articles will be in print in the Thursday edition.

To find your voting place, go online to vt.ncsbe.gov/PPLkup/ or call the Board of Elections at 704-484-4858.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Election Day has arrived in Cleveland County