By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer
The last two days of the filing season for the municipal and school board elections proved hectic, as Carrboro’s mayor race became a three-way contest and more candidates signed on to run for the town boards in Carrboro and Chapel Hill.
Brian Voyce, who won 430 votes or 18.2 percent of the total in a mayoral run two years ago, joined newcomer Amanda Ashley and two-term incumbent Mark Chilton in the contest for mayor of Carrboro.
The field vying for three seats on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen also grew, with the addition of planning board member Sharon Cook, who received 873 votes in 2007, and contractor Tim Peck. They’ll compete with incumbents Randee Haven-O’Donnell and Jacquie Gist and Local Living Economy Task Force member Sammy Slade.
In Chapel Hill, Will Raymond, who received 1,409 votes in 2007, and incumbents Ed Harrison and Jim Merritt filed to join a field that already includes incumbent Laurin Eastholm and challengers John Dehart, Gene Pease, Matt Pohlman and Penny Rich.
By contrast, the Chapel Hill’s mayor’s race remained a four-way race featuring council members Mark Kleinschmidt and Matt Czajkowski along with Kevin Wolff, who has run twice for mayor unsuccessfully, and Transportation Board chair Augustus Cho.
The election to decide three seats on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board of Education also saw an additional candidate, with Susan Dancy signing on to a contest with incumbent Gregory McElveen, Michelle Brownstein, J.M. (Joe) Green, MaryAnne Gucciardi, Christine Lee and Gary Wallach.
In Pittsboro, incumbent Randy Voller will face challenger William Crawford and a three-way race for two town commissioner seats features incumbent Pamela Baldwin and challengers Andrew Allden and Michael Fiocco.
Races in Hillsborough remained where they stood last week.
Mayor Tom Stevens is running in the only contest in Orange County without opposition. The field for the election for two seats on the town board is a repeat of 2005, with incumbents Mike Gering and Frances Dancy and challenger Bryant Kelly Warren Jr.