Lake Norman Publications

See who is running against Alma Adams, Patrick McHenry in May primaries


Lake Norman-area ballots are set for May primaries and the 2022 election season.

Candidate filing ended March 4 in the races for county, state and U.S. Congress seats as well as two town board positions in Mooresville.

In Congressional races involving redrawn and renumbered districts in the Lake Norman area, current members of the House of Representatives face challengers.

In District 10, which includes Iredell, Lincoln, Catawba and Gaston counties, Rep. Patrick McHenry is one of five Republicans – joining Richard Speer, Jeff Gregory, Michael Magnotta and Gary Robinson – in the race. On the Democrat side in District 10, Pam Genant and Michael Felder are candidates.

In District 12, which includes north Mecklenburg and part of Cabarrus County, Rep. Alma Adams is running for re-election. She faces a challenge from fellow Democrat John Sharkey and on the Republican side in District 12, Nalini Joseph, Andrew Huffman and Tyler Lee are candidates.

In Lincoln County, N.C. General Assembly members can rest easy this election cycle. Sen. Ted Alexander will run unopposed in N.C. Senate District 44, while N.C. House Rep. Jason Saine will also maintain his seat without a challenger in District 97.

Other N.C. General Assembly races in the area will be contested.

In the N.C. Senate District 37 that includes Mooresville, incumbent Republican Vickie Sawyer faces a challenge from fellow Republican Tom Fyler.

In N.C. Senate District 41, incumbent Democrat Natasha Marcus from Davidson faces a challenge from Cornelius Republican Bonni Leone.

In North Carolina House contests, Rep. John Bradford, a Republican from Cornelius, will face Huntersville Democrat Christy Clark in a rubber match of sorts after meeting in the last two District 98 races.

In Iredell County, incumbent Grey Mills, a Republican, will square off against fellow Mooresville resident Amanda Kotis, a Democrat, in the District 95 race. In District 84, Republican Rep. Jeff McNeely is being challenged by Democrat September McCrady in the District 84 race.

Town, county races

Mooresville is the local outlier with a municipal race this year. In the contest to fill the Ward 3 Town Board seat being vacated by Barbara Whittington, candidates are James “Toodles” Ritchie, Kevin Kasel and Tommy DeWeese.

Mooresville Ward 4 board representative Lisa Qualls is unopposed.

Two seats are up for grabs on the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners, with incumbents Bud Cesena and Milton Sigmon seeking re-election. Challengers include Denver’s Tim Holder and Glenn Fiscus as well as Lincolnton’s Jamie Lineberger. The board, which hasn’t seen a Democrat elected since 1998, will remain entirely Republican through another election cycle. 

The school board race, which is now partisan, will decide three seats. 

Republican Tony Jenkins hopes to retain his at-large seat, but two other outgoing board members – District 2 representative Joan Avery and District 5 representative Todd Wulfhorst – will contest his reelection along with newcomer Kieth Poston. Jenkins and Wulfhorst will square off in the Republican primary, with Avery and Poston seeking the Democratic nomination.

While Avery pursues the at-large seat, her District 2 post will be decided among three candidates. Democrat Linda Wolfe will run against the Republican nominee, which will be decided between Kaila Clippard and Fred Jarrett in the primary election.

Three Republicans will vie to replace Wulfhorst as the District 5 representative. The district, which represents a significant portion of the Denver area, will be decided between Matt Brown, Krista Heavner and Martin Oakes. 

The race for Lincoln County Sheriff will also feature three Republicans, including incumbent Bill Beam and challengers Lincolnton’s Erin Long and Denver’s Ronnie Messer. 

Lincoln County Clerk of Superior Court Fred Hatley will run unopposed as will Lincoln County Register of Deeds Danny Hester.

In Mecklenburg County, incumbent Democrat Elaine Powell will face Republican Gary Leone in the race to represent District 1 (north Mecklenburg) on the Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners.

Seven candidates are in the race for at-large county board seats, including Democrats Jennifer De La Jara, Leigh Altman, Arthur Griffin Jr., Pat Cotham, Yvette Townsend-Ingram and Tina V. Boyd and Republican Tatyana Thulien.

In Iredell County, 12 candidates are seeking at-large seats on the county commission. Candidates include Democrats Michelle Goree and Frank L. Johnson and Republicans Gene Houpe, Laketha Bobish, Larry Payne, Richard Coleman, Brad Stroud, Bert Connolly, Blake Palmer, Angela Wokatsch, Richard “Todd” Carver and Cindy Haynes.

In the Iredell County School Board race, Mooresville’s Mike Kubiniec is unopposed in his run as the District 5 representative and Republican Mooresville residents Anita Kurn and Lisa Meier are candidates in District 7.

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