Elections in Canton, Clyde and Maggie Valley resulted in some tight races and new faces falling into voters’ good graces, but the outcomes in Haywood County’s three smallest municipalities couldn’t be more different as one moves forward, one stays the same and one still seeks to fill some holes.

Canton Alderman Zeb Smathers isn’t quite mayor yet, but that didn’t stop one local brewery from releasing a “Mayor Smathers Victory Ale” over a month ago, nor has it stopped Smathers — who is running unopposed — from laying out an aggressive plan designed to make the last four years of Canton progress “pale in comparison.”

Unlike Haywood County’s other contested municipal election — in Maggie Valley — two incumbents are running for reelection and seek to defend their seats from three challengers.

The five candidates running for Bryson City Board of Aldermen all hold their hometown near and dear to their hearts, but they also have different ideas and hopes for its future.

The years ahead are likely to be lively ones for the tiny town of Dillsboro, with a new river park and brewery among the most game-changing developments coming down the pike — and seven people are running for five seats on the town’s board of aldermen to see those changes through the next four years.

The Village of Forest Hills could have a new member on the town council depending on the outcome of this year’s general election.

Every election year there are a few hot button issues that entice candidates to throw their hats into the ring with an eye toward making big changes in their town government, but this year things seem different in Franklin.

Jackson County will have enough candidates running to fill the seats available following an extended sign-up period for the Webster Town Council.

Although the Municipal General Election isn’t until Nov. 7, when the candidate sign-up period closed on July 21, Canton’s fate was sealed.

For a while there, things seemed to be pretty quiet on the Maggie Valley political scene, but on the very last day of the candidate filing period three candidates joined two others in seeking the two aldermanic seats up for election this year.