Politics - Randolph Record

07 Sep

Smith won’t seek another term as Asheboro’s mayor

Bob SuttonGovernment, News, PoliticsAsheboro, Asheboro City Council, David Smith, mayor

David Smith is serving his fourth term as Asheboro's mayor. (Randolph Record file photo) ASHEBORO – David Smith won’t run for re-election as Asheboro’s mayor next year, so that will mark the end of more than a quarter-century of time as an elected city official. Smith said Friday he thought it was important to provide plenty of advance notice. “I wanted to make the announcement far enough out so anyone who wanted to run would be prepared,” he said. Smith, 71, has won four four-year terms as mayor after serving on city council for 12 years. He’ll serve through 2025,…

21 Aug

Trump speaks in Asheboro at first outdoor rally since attempted assassination

Associated PressNews, Politics2024 elections, Asheboro, donald trump

Former President Donald Trump speaks Wednesday at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame in Asheboro. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO — At his first outdoor rally since last month’s attempted assassination, Donald Trump spoke from behind bulletproof glass Wednesday in North Carolina at an event focused on national security. On politics, he called his predecessor Barack Obama “nasty” for his comments the night before at the Democratic National Convention. Trump blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the deadly Afghanistan withdrawal and for wars in Ukraine and the Middle East while returning repeatedly in his remarks to the Democratic gathering…

17 Aug

Trump to visit Asheboro for campaign stop

Randolph RecordNews, Politicsdonald trump, election, North Carolina Aviation Museum, politics

ASHEBORO – Presidential candidate Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance are scheduled to appear in Asheboro. They’ll speak about national security at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame. Trump, the former president and Republican candidate, will make this campaign stop in Randolph County while the Democratic national convention is taking place in Chicago. This will be Trump’s second appearance in North Carolina in a week after a stop this past Wednesday in Asheville.

23 Jul

Candidates line up for Archdale, Trinity city councils

Bob SuttonNews, PoliticsArchdale, Lewis Dorsett, Trinity

There’s no opponent for Archdale mayor in November ASHEBORO – Archdale mayor Lewis Dorsett will run unopposed in November, but in Trinity as well as Archdale there will be contested races for city council. Multiple candidates for several spots after the filing period ended last week. Dorsett was also unopposed the 2022 election to continue into a role that he held since the summer of 2021, when he shifted from mayor pro tem to major when a vacancy occurred upon the retirement of Bert Stone. Dorsett is seeking another two-year term. Also in Archdale, candidates for an at-large spot on…

08 Jul

Filing period opens for Archdale, Trinity

Bob SuttonNews, PoliticsArchdale, city council, mayor, municipal elections, Trinity

ASHEBORO – The filing period opened for municipal elections in Archdale and Trinity, with several incumbents filing on the first day. In Archdale, mayor Lewis Dorsett’s two-year term ends, and he filed Friday to keep his seat. Meanwhile, there are three four-year spots on the ballot on the Archdale City Council. Those are Ward 2 (with incumbent Roger Blackwell), Ward 3 (with incumbent Trey Gray III) and at-large (with incumbent Tim Williams). Blackwell and Gray made first-day filings, while Alvin Battle entered the race for the at-large council race. In Trinity, three council spots are on the board – all…

06 Mar

Rivenbark wins GOP primary for Randolph County commissioner

Randolph RecordGovernment, News, Politics2024 elections, board of elections, GOP Primary

ASHEBORO – Randolph County will have at least one new county commissioner following the 2024 election. Challenger Lester Rivenbark of Asheboro headed the Republican field in Tuesday’s primary for the District 5 seat. Rivenbark received 8,479 votes for a safe lead on repeat commissioner candidate Chris McLeod, a Denton man who had 6,031. Incumbent Maxton McDowell of Asheboro had 4,713 votes. Rivenbark and Democrat Jane Ledwell-Gant will be on November’s ballot. Total turnout in Randolph County was at 24.2 percent of registered voters. There were 23,190 voters. There was no primary for the other seat for the county commissioners on…

19 Feb

Check early voting numbers in Randolph County

Randolph RecordGovernment, News, Politicsearly voting, randolph county, Randolph County Board of Elections, voting

ASHEBORO – More than 1,300 voters went to the polls in Randolph County during the first four days of early voting for March’s primary. Early voting began last Thursday. On the first day, there were 504 voters, followed by 424 last Friday, 241 on Saturday and 146 on Sunday. The highest turnout each day was at the Randolph County Board of Elections in Asheboro. There was a four-day total of 557 at the Asheboro location. The four-day totals for the other three sites were as follows: Braxton Craven School in Trinity (343), Randleman Civic Center (229) and Franklinville United Methodist…

15 Feb

Early voting launches for primary in Randolph County

Bob SuttonNews, Politics2024 elections, board of elections, election, Randolph County Board of Commissioners, Randolph County Board of Elections

ASHEBORO – Early voting for the March primary begins this week in Randolph County. The early voting window runs Feb. 15 through March 2. There are national, statewide and local contests on the primary ballot. In Randolph County, there are three Republicans on the primary ballot for the board of commissioners in District 5. They are incumbent Maxton McDowell of Asheboro along with Chris McLeod of Denton and Lester Rivenbark of Asheboro. Jane Ledwell-Gant was the lone Democrat to file for the District 5 seat, so she advances to the November ballot. Voters will be asked for a valid photo…

22 Dec

RCSS board incumbent Sink won’t be on ballot

Bob SuttonNews, Politics2024 elections, board of education, Brian Biggs, Dave Craven Jr., Education, Mike Sink, Randolph County School System

Photo: Mike Sink ASHEBORO – There will be at least one new member of the Randolph County School System’s board of education after the 2024 voting with incumbent Mike Sink choosing not to seek re-election. There are four spots on the 2024 ballot for the seven-member board. Board chairman Gary Cook and fellow incumbents Sharon Petty Farlow of Sophia and Tracy Boyles of Denton have filed to keep seats. Farlow is the board’s vice chair. Rana Gantt of Trinity and Todd Cutler of Asheboro are the other candidates to file by last week’s deadline. Sink, who turns 75 in January,…

11 Dec

Randolph County incumbents file to keep seats

Bob SuttonNews, Politics2024 elections, Brian Biggs, David Craven, Maxton McDowell, Randolph County Board of Commissioners, rep. richard hudson

ASHEBORO – Two incumbents on the Randolph County Board of Commissioners have filed paperwork to run for re-election. Kenny Kidd of Asheboro and Maxton McDowell of Asheboro are seeking to retain their seasons. The filing period for the March primary opened Dec. 4 and closes at noon Friday. The filings include federal offices, numerous statewide positions along with seats on the county level. Also filing for a Randolph County commissioner seat are Christopher McLeod of Denton and Lester Rivenbark of Asheboro. Both challengers filed on the day that filing began. Like the two incumbents, McLeod and Rivenbark are listed as…