Who will be on Cumberland County ballots this fall? Here's the full list of candidates

The filing period for Cumberland County’s 2023 elections has officially closed, and more than 80 candidates will participate in 26 races across the county this fall.

Fayetteville City Council members in Districts 2 and 5, as well as the mayor, will see a primary Oct. 10, while all other races will head straight to the Nov. 7 election. Eight of the races feature only one candidate, including three Fayetteville City Council seats.

Here’s your guide to the candidates in the upcoming elections.

Mayor of Fayetteville

Fayetteville’s mayoral race saw a last-minute shakeup earlier this week when former Commissioner Charles Evans announced his candidacy. Incumbent Mayor Mitch Colvin is aiming for his fourth term and will also face candidate Freddie de la Cruz again after a match-up in July 2022, when Colvin won 62.78% of 14,824 votes cast, according to election results from the State Board of Elections.

• Mitch Colvin (incumbent)

• Freddie de la Cruz

• Charles Evans

• Quancidine Hinson-Gribble

Fayetteville City Council, District 1

Incumbent Kathy Keefe Jensen will face another challenge from her 2022 opponent, Alex Rodriguez, for the seat she has held since November 2013.

• Kathy Keefe Jensen (incumbent)

• Alex Rodriguez

Fayetteville City Council, District 2

Incumbent Shakeyla Ingram will face six challengers in her fight for a third term on City Council.

• Janene Ackles

• Malik Davis

• Shakeyla Ingram (incumbent)

• Larry Marshall

• Gail Morfesis

• Laura Rodrigues Mussler

• Anastasia J. Vann

Fayetteville City Council, District 3

Freshman Councilman Mario Benavente will face one challenger, Michele Arita Dillon, for his District 3 seat.

• Mario “Be” Benavente (incumbent)

• Michele Arita Dillon

Fayetteville City Council, District 4

Long-term incumbent D.J. Haire will go up against newcomer Stuart Collick for his District 4 seat.

• Stuart A. Collick

• D.J. Haire (incumbent)

Fayetteville City Council, District 5

The District 5 race will tie with the mayoral race for the busiest primary in Fayetteville, with two newcomers and one familiar candidate competing against incumbent Johnny Dawkins.

• Johnny Dawkins (incumbent)

• Lynne Bissette Greene

• Justin Herbe

• Fred G. LaChance III

Fayetteville City Council, District 6

Freshman Councilman Derrick Thompson faces no challengers for his seat.

Fayetteville City Council, District 7

Freshman Councilwoman Brenda McNair will face no opposition for her seat.

Fayetteville City Council, District 8

Second-term Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin will have no challengers in her quest for a third term.

Fayetteville City Council, District 9

Freshman Councilman Deno Hondros will face a challenge from Fredlisha R. Lansana in his race.

• Deno Hondros (incumbent)

• Fredlisha R. Lansana

Mayor of Hope Mills

Longtime Mayor Jackie Warner and former Commissioner Jessie Bellflowers will battle it out once again. In November 2021, the most recent mayoral contest, Warner earned 44 more votes than Bellflowers, netting 600 to Bellflowers’ 556 of 1,162 ballots cast, according to State Board of Elections data.

• Jessie Bellflowers

• Jackie Warner (incumbent)

Hope Mills Board of Commissioners

All five incumbent commissioners will fight for their seats in this jampacked race, facing eight other candidates, including former Commissioner Pat Edwards.

• Elyse Craver

• Pat Edwards

• Mark Hess

• Jerry Legge (incumbent)

• Bryan A. Marley (incumbent)

• Kenjuana McCray (incumbent)

• Grilley Mitchell (incumbent)

• Patrick Mitchell

• Deanna L. Rosario

• Karen Smith Saracen

• Joanne Scarola (incumbent)

• Ronald Starling

• Ronnie Strong

Mayor of Spring Lake

Mayor Kia Anthony will face competition in her bid for a second term from former Alderwoman Fredricka Sutherland. Sutherland came in second to Anthony among three candidates in 2021’s mayoral election.

• Kia Anthony (incumbent)

• Fredricka Sutherland

Spring Lake Board of Aldermen

All five incumbents will face off against four additional challengers, including former Alderwoman Jackie Lee Jackson, former Alderman James P. O'Garra and former Town Manager Daniel Gerald.

• Katrina "Bell" Bratcher

• Robyn Chadwick (incumbent)

• Sona L. Cooper (incumbent)

• Daniel B. Gerald

• Jackie Lee Jackson

• Marvin Lackman (incumbent)

• James P. O’Garra

• Raul Palacios (incumbent)

• Adrian Jones Thompson (incumbent)

Eastover Sanitary District Board

Incumbent Dani Osborne faces no challengers.

Mayor of Eastover

Incumbent Charles McLaurin has no opposition.

Eastover Town Council

Three Town Council seats are up for grabs in November, and three candidates registered for the race, including two incumbents.

• Stan Crumpler (incumbent)

• Cheryl C. Hudson (incumbent)

• Frederick A. Williams

Mayor of Falcon

Wayne G. Lucas will compete unopposed for the seat currently held by Mayor Clifton L. Turpin, Jr.

Falcon Board of Commissioners

All four Board of Commissioners seats are up for election in November, and six candidates filed for the race, including three incumbents.

• Sue Brigman

• R. Dwayne Dunning Sr. (incumbent)

• Larry C. Lovick (incumbent)

• James Danny Nelson

• Chris Stone

• John C. Wheeler (incumbent)

Mayor of Godwin

Mayor Willie Burnette will face no opposition in his bid for another term.

Godwin Board of Commissioners

Four Board of Commissioners seats are up for election in November, and five candidates filed for the race, including all four incumbents.

• Angela Burnette Lambert

• George Cooper Jr. (incumbent)

• Scarlet M. Hall (incumbent)

• Ronald McNeill (incumbent)

• Joseph Smith (incumbent)

Mayor of Linden

Mayor Frances B. Collier faces no challengers in her bid for another term.

Linden Board of Commissioners

All five incumbents filed for reelection to the five seats up for grabs on the Linden Board of Commissioners.

• Jonathan Collier (incumbent)

• Barbara C. Denning (incumbent)

• Ronnie Maness (incumbent)

• Larry Overby (incumbent)

• Betsy Small (incumbent)

Stedman Board of Commissioners

Three candidates, including one incumbent, filed for the three seats open on the Stedman Board of Commissioners,

• Mark Lee (incumbent)

• Joseph Manuel

• Ralph A. Vogt

Mayor of Wade

Commissioners Johnny Lanthorn and George E. Strater will face off for the seat currently held by Mayor Joseph Dixon.

• Johnny Lanthorn

• George E. Strater

Wade Board of Commissioners

Two incumbents were the only candidates to file in the race for the board’s five open seats.

• Kevin A. Herring (incumbent)

• Jennifer Dixon Weaver (incumbent)

Government watchdog reporter Lexi Solomon can be reached at ABSolomon@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Spring Lake candidates for 2023