Qualifying for Gadsden municipal elections draws to a close; here are the candidates
Qualifying for Gadsden's municipal election ended at 5 p.m. Tuesday, setting the slate of 43 candidates seeking to serve in one of the offices up for election Aug. 23.
With incumbent Mayor Sherman Guyton choosing not to seek re-election, the mayor's race drew seven candidates.
In the District 6 City Council race, where incumbent Johnny Cannon had said he would not run, then seemed to backtrack on that decision before announcing at Tuesday's council meeting that he would not be on the ballot, six newcomers are vying for the seat.
Likewise in the District 2 race, incumbent Deverick Williams did not qualify to run again and five people are seeking to take over the office.
District 3 incumbent Thomas Worthy is running for mayor instead of re-election to the council; three candidates are looking to take his place.
In the other four council seats, incumbents are seeking re-election and all face multiple challengers.
Here are the candidates qualified for the municipal vote:
Mayor
Robert L. Avery
Heather New
Dr. John Jacobs
Thomas Worthy
Ron "Bunchie" Barnard
Michael Shell
Craig Ford
City Council
District 1
Cynthia Toles (i)
Tonya Latham
Chari Bostick
District 2
Amy Lipscomb
David Devine, Sr.
Ashton Gray
Steve Smith
David Woodard
District 3
William P. Avery Jr.
Denecia Ann Getaw
Larry J. Avery Jr.
District 4
Luther D. Abel
Kent Back (i)
Carrie Machen
District 5
Billy F. Billingsley Sr.
Jason Wilson (i)
Linda Riggins Aaron
District 6
Renay Stokes Reeves
Benji Mashburn
Phillip (Phil) Morgan
Dixie Minatra
Ricky Leath
Joshua F. Partee
District 7
Ben Reed (i)
Chris Robinson
Singn Horn
James "Jimmy" Kelton
Board of Education
District 1 — Adrienne M. Reed (i)
District 2 — Nate Carter (i)
District 3 — Z'Andre Huff (i)
District 3 -- Fred Zackery
District 4 — Mike Haney (i)
District 5 — Bonnie Yarnell
District 5 -- Mark Dayton (i)
District 6 — Nancy Stewart (i)
District 7 — William Allen Millican (i)
Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Gadsden vote: Ballot set for mayor, council, board of education races