Published: 11:36 AM, 11/02/2009

Last updated: 12:52 PM, 11/17/2009

By: Melanie Marshall

The municipal races experienced low voter turnout during the one-stop voting period.

Early voted opened on Oct 15 and closed on Oct. 30 for the towns of Beech Mountain, Blowing Rock, Boone and Seven Devils.

Jane Hodges, director of the Watauga County Board of Elections, reports a total 868 voters participated in one-stop voting and 24 absentee ballots were received. There are 15,786 registered voters in the four towns.

Boone saw the most early votes with 786 and 10 absentee. Seventy-five Blowing Rock residents participated in one-stop, with 7 absentee votes. Seven Devils had 10 one-stop votes and four absentee, while Beech Mountain had eight one-stop and three absentee.

Municipal election day is Tuesday. Hodges predicted a 12-14 percent voter turnout in the four towns. Approximately 2,200 voters participated in the 2007 municipal election.

Incumbent Boone Mayor Loretta Clawson has filed to run for another term. John Mena and Tim Wilson have also filed for mayor.

The terms of current Boone council members Janet Pepin and Rennie Brantz are up for election, as is the seat vacated by Liz Aycock earlier this month. Jamie Leigh was appointed to fill the position and is seeking the seat. While Brantz filed for reelection, Pepin decided not to seek another term. Also vying for the open positions are Leigh, Andrew Ball, Matthew C. Long, Grant N. Holder, Thomas Benjamin White and Harold Frazier.

Blowing Rock incumbent Mayor J.B. Lawrence will be running unopposed for the position. The terms of current council members Barbara Ball, Tommy Klutz and Keith Tester will expire this year. Klutz is the only incumbent to file for reelection.

George Sudderth, Jim Steele, Pat Fountain, Doug Matheson, Mike Kebelback, Jerry Starnes and Gary Lee Smith have filed for the available council positions.

Beech Mountain has three positions opening on the town council, those of current mayor Gil Adams and members Randy Corn and Pete Chamberlain. All three have filed for reelection. In addition, Paul Piquet, Barry Schorr, David Conrad, Cindy Keller, and E. "Rick" Miller have filed.

Seven Devils mayor Bob Dodson and council members Kay Ehlinger and Bill Wilkinson are up for election. All three have filed in addition to David A. Ehmig.

In both Beech Mountain and Seven Devils, the mayor is appointed from within the elected town council.