color: white; North Carolina's Supreme Court pushed the pause button in December 2021 on candidate filing, but that first step for politicians to let their intentions formally be known begins again 8:30 a.m. Thursday and ends at noon March 4. .outer_percentage { } color: #888; You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-201-7016 or email him at kellis@gastongazette.com. chevron.removeClass('fa-chevron-down'); chevron.removeClass('fa-chevron-up'); Don Roper's campaign has received $45,320.32, according to financial disclosure forms filed with the Gaston County Board of Elections Office on Jan. 12, 2022. "I have not heard anything about anyone running for sheriff except Alan Cloninger, and I'mvery sad he has decided to drop out of the race," said Melissa Wagner, chairwoman of the Gaston County Democrats since April. Gaston primary election will feel a lot like Election Day for the GOP, Campaign cash: Donors to Gaston County contested commission race, Campaign cash: Big donors in Gaston County's District Court judge race. border-radius: 50%; chevron.removeClass('fa-chevron-up'); "They have to be people who care about helping people. background-color: #f9f9f9; } padding-top: 8px; Gaston County Republicans have far more primary elections to determine party nominations and in some cases those nominees will not face a Democrat in November, making the May primary the de facto election. max-width: 75px; Election candidates: Who wants to represent Gaston County? - MSN .results_row { left: 0px; a[aria-expanded=true] .fa-chevron-right { display: none; } Collins won almost 72% of the vote in beating Republican primary challenger Ashley Hyman, an attorney for Gaston County social services the past six years. 2023 www.gastongazette.com. But Stewart pointed out, in the decades after that legislation became law, Republicans "often outworked Democrats around the state.". Cloninger, 64, went to the Gaston County Board of Elections office on Wednesday afternoon and switched his party affiliation from Democrat to unaffiliated, according to county election records. Genant, who lives in Burke County, faces an uphill battle in a district that heavily favors Republicans. Gaston County Board of Elections | Gastonia NC - Facebook Page will be running for a full, four-year term. Precincts Reported: . Here's why. $('.showResponses').hide(); Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. } } Hall represents the Dallas Township on the Gaston County school board. Send a message to Don Roper asking him to fill out the survey. Alan Cloninger, who has served as sheriff of Gaston County for 16 years, announced his retirement in August, WBTV reported. } 163-182.9 (re: vote count or tabulation) 05/27/2022 11/18/2022 . margin-right: 10px; How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. A Democrat has held this office in Gaston County for decades, but that ended whenAlan Cloninger changedhis party affiliation from Democrat to unaffiliated in August. Gaston County election results will start coming in after polls close at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 17. Indeed, it has been more than 16 years since Democrats last led the registration rolls. I will serve out the remainder of my term with honor, concern, and integrity as I always have. }. Some point to the summer day when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, an act which alienated many white, southern conservatives who had been life-long Democrats. } May 17, 2022 at 6:31 PM. For the Democrats, Pam Genant of Valdese and Michael Felder of Arden will vie for the party nomination. }); Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Who believe in fairness and justice. "I want to be able to vote in the primary I choose for the candidates I choose.". Belmont Police Chief Chad Hawkins defeated Mt. To view the full local election results from Gaston County, visit ncsbe.gov. Throughout my life, I have been a conservative democrat as my father and family have always been. Like Alan Cloninger, Jesse Caldwell grew up in the Democratic Party, recalling with pride how his father served as Gov. Cloninger says now he will retire when his term ends in December 2022 from a job that pays him $145,000 a year. .widget-row.Libertarian { font-size: 2em; } Gaston County, North Carolina, held elections for local offices in 2022. Sunlight is the best disinfectant for government corruption and government inefficiency.". letter-spacing: 0.03em; widget_load_check_dom() background-color: #dac113; In again explaining why he exited the party that his family had supported for generations, he said, "The national Democratic Party is no longer my daddy's Democratic Party.". Full list of GE15 parliamentary seat winners display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; "My family has asked that I retire as your sheriff. Longtime Republican Commissioners Tom Keigher, representing the Gastonia Township, and Chad Brown, representing the Riverbend Township, both plan to run for re-election. Results: Gaston County sheriff race goes to Belmont police chief letter-spacing: .03em; }); Ballotpedia features 408,502 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. Cloninger oversees285 county employees and a county budget of $24.1 million. Gov. ", Summing up, Caldwell said, "I still believe Democrats can be elected in Gaston County. At one time, the North Carolina Democratic Party had a conservative wing and a progressive wing. .inner_percentage.Libertarian { .top_disclaimer { } .votebox { 4 min read. But the 47-year-old Hawkins had been on the campaign trail months longer. NAME ON BALLOT PARTY BALLOT COUNT background-color: white; } Nationally, Cloninger said, the Democratic Party has lost touch with its working class values, values that treasured hard work, personal freedom, and patriotism. font-weight: bold; font-weight: 100; Sheriff's race. Gaston County Republican Party background-color: green; Elections | Gaston County, NC } display: inline; About three months ago, I announced that I would be seeking re-election next year. Absentee Voting Information ", Finally, Cloninger added, "Democrats have to speak about the issues people care about. } District Court Judge Michael Lands plans to retire at the end of his term. Official Election Notice County of GASTON NC State Board of Elections August 2022. As always, please call me at 704-913-0340 if I can ever be of help to you. His district include northwestern Gaston County. text-align: left !important; What were the early voting start and end dates? Gaston County politicians start your campaigns. }, 100); 2022 Primary Election Dates to Remember - Gaston County Join the fight to keep Republicans elected in Gaston County. Roy Cooper appointed Caldwellin June to replace his father, Jesse Caldwell III, after the elder Caldwell hit the mandatory retirement age of 72. .widget-key { "To elect Republican lawmakers to draw the maps and to elect 'conservative' judges who would uphold those maps. position: relative; .inner_percentage.Republican { Candidate's Guide to the 2022 Statewide Primary and General Election max-height: 580px; Here is the list of candidates in the 2022 North Carolina elections All three of those overcame primary challengers, andwill not face opposition on the ballot in November's general election. The wrong party affiliation was listed in a previous story. Counties | max-width: 600px; display: inline-block; display: table; Precincts Reported: . .election_results_text { We also provide race overviews if you want additional background information. .widget-row.heading { } What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline? The filing period ended at noon Friday, March 4, meaning the matchups are set for May 17 primary elections and in some cases Election Day on Nov. 8. width: 150px; "It saddens me that the same Democrat Party that I grew up in, no longer exists," he added. Ballot measures, Who represents me? color: #fff; Sen. Kathy Harrington also surprised severalwhen she announced in December she would not be seeking a seventh term to the 43rd Senate District seat based in Gaston County. Carl Stewart, 85, came of age at a time when Democrats dominated government in both Gaston County and in Raleigh. .hideResponses { display: none;} .clearfix { VoterInfobyState_Resized = true; Local Democratic candidates also face the burden, he said, of dealing with the negative image of the national party. A new start time has been set, Parents say south Charlotte CMS plan gives me nightmares. Heres whats driving worries, Mecklenburg Democrats want campaign donations back after Rep. Tricia Cothams party switch, Bill tightening the deadline for mail-in absentee ballots advances in NC legislature, Republicans add NCs Jeff Jackson to 2024 target list along with Davis, Nickel, Mecklenburg Democrat to run for NC treasurer, says office shouldnt have partisan games, Q&A: Rachel Hunt says NC can do better than divisiveness in lieutenant governor, Hand will run for south Charlotte council seat, setting up possible Bokhari rematch. Hall could possibly still run for school board since the filing period does not occur until July. } } else { } VoterInfobyState_Timeout_dom = setTimeout(widget_load_check_dom, 500); line-height: 1.5em; Overcash had a primary opponent until Dallas Township County Commissioner. padding-bottom: 7px; } Click on your candidates to read their biography, view past election results, read their campaign themes and responses to our candidate survey, and more. } Of course, Caldwell added, recruiting such candidates will not be easy, primarily for two reasons: the need to raise money; and the personal negativity and attacks that often come with running for office. GASTON COUNTY SHERIFF (VOTE FOR 1) Precincts Reported: 46 of 46: View Contest Details. background-color: #ccc; padding-bottom: 8px; Neighbor: Girl, 6, and parents shot, wounded over stray ball .widget-row.Republican { Loftis, a former Gaston County commissioner and Army veteran,faced challenges from Gaston County Commissioner Ronnie Worley, Belmont businessman John Gouch and Lauren Bumgardner Current, the daughter of the late representative. width: 100% !important; The deadline to register to vote in NC is October 9th. float: right; Republican Tom Keigher has filed for re-election to the Gastonia Township seat. } .non_result_row div { "Democrats have to return to their working class roots," he said. State legislature | I will continue to execute my duties until the time that a new Sheriff is sworn into office in December 2022. Republicans were aided in this effort, Stewart continued, by an influx of money from the national Republican Party to help finance the campaigns of state legislative candidates and state judicial candidates. Heres how hell do it, North Carolinas divorce law is clearly an outlier. left: 0; word-wrap: break-word; Davis beat Gaston County assistant prosecutor Beth Stockwell, who received almost 31% of the vote and private practice attorney Eddie Meeks, who received 10% of the vote. Gaston County Democrats just have primary elections in congressional races, no local races. } As of Jan. 1, Gaston had 151,454 registered voters. .votebox-results-cell--number { He will face a Republican primary opponent in Ashley Hyman. McHenry represented the area for years before redistricting several years ago moved him into another congressional district. Raleigh NC 27611-7255. Many counties across North Carolina held primary elections on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. } .results_text { font-size: 12px; top: -1px; Two Republicans, Belmont Police Chief Chad Hawkins and Mount Holly Police Chief Don Roper, have announced they will seek the GOP nomination for sheriff in 2022. } else { Here's a look at some of the races up for election: This will be a new congressional district with a rarity since no sitting member of Congress now lives within the district. } else {
.contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} This number represented 13.5% of all 5,138 candidates Ballotpedia covered in 2021. In fact, the only Gaston County Democrat who . Eight months after that announcement, Cloninger was in a reflective mood as he discussed the future of his former political party. The 2022 Gaston County Sheriff's race attracts many high money donors Example video title will go here for this video. In the primary, McHenry will face challengers Richard Speer of Lincolnton, Jeff Gregory of Shelby, Gary Robinson of Statesville and Michael Magnotta of Morganton. That year, in the middle of the George W. Bush presidency, Gaston County had 43,027 registered Democrats, 42,444 Republicans, and 18,631 unaffiliated voters. .widget-img { The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer for the county. She has worked in the clerk's office for more than three decades. } } .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;} I have devoted the majority of my life to serving all of the citizens of Gaston County, but the time has come that I must put my family first. $("div.vis_widget_title").each(function(index) { Gaston County politicians start your campaigns. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; What's on my ballot? The district includes about one-third of western Gaston County. Public policy. PUBLISHED 2:47 PM ET Apr. } else { For Republicans, Pat Harrington easily beat Jonathan Simpson for the GOP nomination. font-size: 16px; .votebox-scroll-container { And what message should those Democrats present to Gaston County voters? Drew Kromer wants to severely cripple GOPs chances in NC. background-color: #f9f9f9; He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Gaston County is my home, and you are my friends. padding-left: 0; .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { .votebox-results-cell--check { This is an official notice of an election to be conducted in GASTON County on 11/08/2022. Gouch finished second with more than 23% of the vote, followed by Worley with 22% and Current with 21%. padding-left: 0; Cloninger released this information in a statement on Wednesday detailing that he will also change his party affiliation from Democrat to an unaffiliated voter and "will vote independent from this day forward," Cloninger said. He will now face Democrat Eric Hughes in November. Cloninger accused local Democrat Party leaders of trying to recruit someone to challenge him in the primary. margin-bottom: 0; Cloninger, whose wife Cathy is a candidate for the Board of Commissioners as a Republican, noted that he opted to become unaffiliated rather than join the Republican Party. } Gaston County Sheriff no longer a Democrat, won't run in 2022 I have devoted the majority of my life to serving all of the citizens of Gaston County, but the time has come that I must put my family first. Stewart spoke of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as "a watershed event" in the nation's history an event which began the migration of conservative, southern white voters from the Democratic Party to the Republican. If unsuccessful in their primary elections, either could still run for school board since candidate filing for that office takes place after the primary election. A mysterious website exposed Oatly conspiracies and scandals. Welcome; About . } display: block; So far, no one . Collins faces a Republican challenge from Ashley Hymanof Belmont. Elections in 2023 | font-weight: bold; .race_header.libertarian { "It wasn't healthy when the Democrats were in control 60 years ago and it's not healthy now with the Republicans," he said. } overflow-y: auto; Our principal functions include establishing election precincts and voting sites, appointing and training precinct officials, preparing and distributing ballots, voting equipment, canvassing and certifying the ballots cast in elections, and investigating any . Gaston County Sheriff Alan Cloninger changed his political party on Wednesday and also announced he would not run for re-election next year. padding-left: 10px; } margin-top: 0px; top: 2px; width: 50%; "First and foremost, I want every citizen of Gaston County to know it has been my utmost honor to serve you for over 16 years as your sheriff. Overall, North Carolina was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Gaston County native who now lists a Statesville address, has represented the area before. letter-spacing: .04em; } Ballot measures, Who represents me? Republican District CourtJudge Craig Collinstook his seat on the bench when former Gov. } This is wrong and unjustified. The winner will not face an opponent in November. Ballotpedia features 408,502 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. } if ($('#vis_xs_indicator').is(':hidden') || typeof VoterInfobyState_Resized!='undefined') { width: 100% Two Gaston County District Court judge seats are up for election, but only one has a primary. Filing for Candidacy | NCSBE The new district would include all of Gaston and Cleveland counties, and parts of Rutherford County to the west and Mecklenburg County to the east. If you are Don Roper, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey. In a night where Gaston County Democratic voters had no local candidates running, Republicans also gave their party's nomination to Clerk of Court Roxann Rankin, District Court Judge Craig Collins, and Dallas Township County Commissioner Cathy Cloninger. Rankin does not face opposition in November. chevron.addClass('fa-chevron-down'); Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere. Live Results: Gaston County Primary Races - WFAE } display: inline-block; background-color: grey; For nearly two decades Sheriff Alan Cloninger was the face of the Democratic Party in Gaston County. And at one time, Democratic domination of Gaston County politics was nearly complete. . } Gaston County Republican Party. } Live Results: Gaston County Primary Races His district includes parts of Gaston and Cleveland counties. Gaston County Board of Commissioners Dallas Township. The stop-and-go 2022 election season starts back this week with the candidate filing period resuming. Ahmad Fakhruddin Fakhrurazi (PN) P011 Pendang. At least three Republicans will be vying for the party nomination to replace Caldwell on the bench. Appointed sheriff in 2005, he was elected in his own right in 2006 and went on to be re-elected in 2010, 2014, and 2018. Out of the 6,087 respondents, 1,101 won their election. This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life. EDITOR'S NOTE: Corrections have been made to this story about the congressional district and whether school board members could still seek election to their current seats if unsuccessful in the primary. chevron.addClass('fa-chevron-down'); Two seats on the school board will also be in front of voters, from Districts 3 and 5, held now by Robin Moffitt and Gerald Benton. County Offices such as Sheriff, Register of Deeds, Board of Education and County Commissioner Contact county Contact county margin: 0; text-align: left; "Throughout my life, I have been a conservative Democrat as my father and family have always been," Cloninger wrote in a statement.