Despite the recent election, the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen still has an empty seat to fill.

Everyone was a bit surprised on Nov. 3 when the election results came out in Franklin — even the candidates who were elected.

The Sylva Board of Commissioners election came down to the flip of a coin — literally.

As the municipal elections were coming to a close last Tuesday night, it became clear that the race in Bryson City would be too close to call. 

Some candidates running for office in Waynesville are accusing the town of running off businesses and claim the town’s development rules are hampering development.

Franklin could potentially see a significant changing of the guard during this year’s election with three open seats on the board of aldermen.

The Canton Board of Aldermen has made major headway in the last two years by putting policies in place that will hopefully set the stage for a more prosperous future, which is why the incumbents up for election this year are scratching their heads wondering why they don’t have the support from everyone on the board.

Small towns all over the region are in the midst of municipal elections and a majority of them are contested races. New candidates and incumbents have plenty of issues to discuss as they try to manage shrinking budgets, improve aging infrastructure and position themselves for positive future growth. As early voting starts Thursday, Oct. 22, residents are urged to inform themselves about the issues and vote for the candidates they think will do what is in the best interest of the taxpayers.

Clyde may be a tiny little two-stoplight town, but at a recent candidate forum, the panel of contenders for seats in the upcoming town board elections was full of ideas on how to grow the town while maintaining its close-knit heritage.

The four candidates vying for two seats on the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen can all agree on one point — the town is in much better shape than it was two years ago.