Read more about race and ethnicity in the census. You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-869-1823 or email him at kellis@gastongazette.com. .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper .image-candidate-thumbnail { Mount Holly Police Chief Don Roper announces that he will run for Gaston County Sheriff in 2022 during a media briefing at Tuckaseege Park. Genant, who lives in Burke County, faces an uphill battle in a district that heavily favors Republicans. Hall represents the Dallas Township on the Gaston County school board. margin-top: 16px; Contact our sales team. padding-left: 10px; Click [show] on the table below for examples: Following the 2020 presidential election, 47.1% of North Carolinians lived in one of the state's 22 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 46.3% lived in one of 68 Solid Republican counties. The winner will not face an opponent in November. $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { .results_row {
. Roxann Rankin has worked in the Gaston County Clerk of Court's office since 1984, but took the top job after the retirement of Larry Brown. .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } This notice contains a list of all of the ballot measures and federal, State, and local offices this county expects, as of this date, to be on the ballot on . Chad Hawkins ran in the general election for Gaston County Sheriff on November 8, 2022. This number represented 8.9% of all 68,747 candidates Ballotpedia covered in 2022. Don Roper (Gaston County Sheriff, North Carolina, candidate 2022). } Don Roper (Republican Party) (also known as Don) ran for election for Gaston County Sheriff in North Carolina. chevron.addClass('fa-chevron-up'); Both Roper and Hawkins actively startedcampaigning months ago, so much that many voters in the 2021 municipal elections asked why they were not on the ballot in the city elections, according to poll workers. City Council named Hawkins police chief in April 2017. ", Finally, Cloninger added, "Democrats have to speak about the issues people care about. None of the candidates live in Gaston County. Gaston County Republicans have not had control of the Sheriff's Office for decades despite holding all other partisan elected offices in the county for years other than two Superior Court judge's seats. It saddens me that the same Democrat party that I grew up in, no longer exists. Ballot measures, Who represents me? If you are Don Roper, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. font-size: 2em; Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? } She will not face opposition on November's ballot. Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania . Cloninger and Hall will face off to replace Philbeck, who announced in October he would not run for the seat again. Cloninger had won five full terms and had announced plans to seek a sixth when he had a sudden change of heart. But county Democrat Party leadership refuted Cloninger's claim the local party had turned on him. Send a message to Don Roper asking him to fill out the survey, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Don_Roper_(Gaston_County_Sheriff,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022)&oldid=8966006, Gaston County Sheriff candidate Gaston County, North Carolina, 2022, County candidates in Gaston County, North Carolina, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. Ballotpedia features 408,502 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. No Democrat has announced as a candidate for Gaston County sheriff. The district has a slight Republican leaning, but would be considered competitive for Democrats based on past voting trends. Election results for Mecklenburg and surrounding counties are here. .percentage_number { Local Democratic candidates also face the burden, he said, of dealing with the negative image of the national party. This number represented 13.5% of all 5,138 candidates Ballotpedia covered in 2021. Democrats in Gaston County now trail not only Republicans but also the unaffiliated in Gaston County voter registration. How to vote | Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. Republican County Commissioners Tom Keigher, Gastonia Township, and Chad Brown, Riverbend Township, do not face opposition. Welcome; About . Indeed on Election Day 2022, no Democrats will be on the ballot for clerk of court, district attorney, the 43rd N.C. Senate seat, the 44th N.C. Senate seat, or the 108th and 110th N.C. House seats. Three Republicans seek their party's nomination to take the job of one of the few Democratofficeholders in Gaston County. } a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } State legislature | Gaston County Board of Elections, 410 W. Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC, 28052, US. Heres how hell do it, North Carolinas divorce law is clearly an outlier. Federal courts | .votebox-results-cell--number { Gaston County. In the race that featured a pair of police chiefs vying for Gaston County sheriff, it was the head of the Belmont Police Department that took the seat. N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, had ruled out a run for Congress, Sen. Kathy Harrington also surprised several, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Gov. Rankin won more than 58% of the vote in defeating Gaston County Commissioner Alan Fraley, who has represented the Cherryville Township on the board since 2004. "They have to be people who care about helping people. left: 0; Hawkins, a former Gastonia Police officer, also served as police chief in Cherryville before moving to the Belmont Police Department as assistant chief in February 2017. Click here for early voting location and times. 108th House Rep. John Torbett, R-Gaston, does not face opposition for a seventh term. See your ballot, research candidates and referendums, and vote informed padding-bottom: 8px; Cities | Gaston County Republican Party. I think that's because I did not operate on the party line; I operated on the people line.". "As we all know life can change in a very short time," Cloninger wrote of his change of mind. margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom:16px; widget_load_check_dom() Holly Police Chief Don Roper in the race for Gaston County sheriff in the 2022 primary elections in . On the Democratic side, former Gaston County assistant prosecutor and Charlotte state Sen. Jeff Jackson easily won his race for the Democratic nomination. display: inline-block; Listen to the podcast weekly. .widget-key { You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-201-7016 or email him at kellis@gastongazette.com. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { font-size: 12px; Indeed, it has been more than 16 years since Democrats last led the registration rolls. overflow-y: hidden; "I have been informed and disappointed to know that the leaders within the present Gaston County Democratic Party are actively recruiting an opponent for me in the March 2022 primary," he wrote. .outer_percentage { Therefore, I will be changing my party affiliation from Democrat to an unaffiliated voter and will vote independent from this day forward. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Out of the 694 candidates who completed Ballotpedia's candidate survey, 147 won their election. margin: 8px auto; chevron.removeClass('fa-chevron-down'); "Twenty years ago I would never have envisioned an election in which the Democrats could not even field candidates," he said. Clerk of Court Roxann Rankin, a Republican,took over the top job in 2020after the retirement of Larry Brown. } "What these people had in common," he said, "was name recognition by the public, who knew these people cared about this county and its people and would serve them honestly and with honor.". Former Democrat Sheriff Alan Cloninger surprised many in August 2021 when he announced that he would not run in 2022 and he was changing his party affiliation to unaffiliated. Mount Holly Police Chief Don Roper and Belmont Police Chief Chad Hawkins have both filed and will face one another for the Republican nomination. Out of the 6,087 respondents, 1,101 won their election. A new start time has been set, Parents say south Charlotte CMS plan gives me nightmares. Heres whats driving worries, Mecklenburg Democrats want campaign donations back after Rep. Tricia Cothams party switch, Bill tightening the deadline for mail-in absentee ballots advances in NC legislature, Republicans add NCs Jeff Jackson to 2024 target list along with Davis, Nickel, Mecklenburg Democrat to run for NC treasurer, says office shouldnt have partisan games, Q&A: Rachel Hunt says NC can do better than divisiveness in lieutenant governor, Hand will run for south Charlotte council seat, setting up possible Bokhari rematch. All rights reserved. I have taken great pride byproviding you public safety and help every day," Cloninger said. Jackson worked as an assistant prosecutor in Gaston County under Bell from 2011 to 2014, and he went to law school with District Attorney Page at UNC Chapel Hill. color:white; .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;} Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Throughout my life, I have been a conservative democrat as my father and family have always been. Both are Republicans. background-color: #db0000; Terry Sanford's Gaston County campaign manager way back in 1960. Cloninger released this information in a statement on Wednesday detailing that he will also change his party affiliation from Democrat to an unaffiliated voter and "will vote independent from this day forward," Cloninger said. "And the people who do run have to realize it won't be easy. | Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey? margin: 0px 10px; The sheriff oversees the county's law enforcement department, including deputies and administrative support. color: white; The district leans about 56% Democratic based on voting trends in presidential and statewide elections. div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } width: 350px; City Council named Hawkins police chief in April 2017. Collins will keep the District Court judge's seat he has held since March 2016. This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston County 2022 primary results: Polls close at 7:30 Tuesday, Gaston County 2022 primary results: Polls close at 7:30 Tuesday, For only the second time in its history, the US Navy is beginning the slow, tricky process of taking apart a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, A Towering, Terrifying Demon Horse Isnt Even the Weirdest Part, Man who lost wife, son in Texas mass shooting tells story, Roman Polanski and the woman he pleaded guilty to raping pose together 45 years later, Hunter Biden appears in court for paternity case, Microcap Drone Company Is Helping Rebuild Ukraine. Hawkins had expected to challenge Sheriff Alan Cloninger, who had announced in May 2021 his plans to seek a fourth full term after first being appointed sheriff in 2005. is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. It turns out, the company was behind it. } .infobox p { Current Cherryville Township County Commissioner Allen Fraley will run against her. Page will be running for a full, four-year term. .election_results_text { All rights reserved. } (function() { On the Republican side, Jonathan Simpson of Charlotte will face Pat Harrigan of Catawba. display: block; font-weight: bold; Public policy. font-weight: bold; .top_disclaimer { Local Democratic leaders, both past and present, say none of those scenarios paints the full picture of why their party has fallen on such hard times. VoterInfobyState_Timeout_jquery = setTimeout(widget_load_check_jquery, 500); Elections in 2023 | "It's for the people. Tuesday's primary election saw voter turnout top 16% or 24,426 people voting out of an eligible 151,790 registered voters. How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Cooper, a Democrat, also appointed Republican Gaston County District Attorney Travis Page to his office after the retirement of Republican Locke Bell. .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { Filing Window. PUBLISHED 2:47 PM ET Apr. .widget-row.Green { Gaston County Republicans have far more primary elections to determine party nominations and in some cases those nominees . Republican Tom Keigher has filed for re-election to the Gastonia Township seat. })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. display: block; .results_table { background-color: white; You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-869-1823 or email him at kellis@gastongazette.com. Don Roper did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey. The deadline to register to vote in NC is October 9th. Chad Brown, a Republican who represents the Riverbend Township, is expected to run for re-election. padding-bottom: 5px; $(window).on('resize',resizeChevron); N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, had ruled out a run for Congress, but has since left the door open based upon the approval of new district. chevron.addClass('fa-chevron-up'); if ($('#vis_xs_indicator').is(':hidden')){ Roy Cooper, he stunned local political observers with two announcements, Cathy is a candidate for the Board of Commissioners, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Thisincludes attorneyEddie Meeks, school board memberJustin Davis, and assistant prosecutorBeth Stockwell. I would like to thank everyone for your support of the Gaston County Sheriffs Office and of the men and women who serve you daily. Campaign Facebook. padding:7px 8px 8px; I have devoted the majority of my life to serving all of the citizens of Gaston County, but the time has come that I must put my family first. And who are grounded in strong patriotic American values. Nationally, Cloninger said, the Democratic Party has lost touch with its working class values, values that treasured hard work, personal freedom, and patriotism. Alan Cloninger, who has served as sheriff of Gaston County for 16 years, announced his retirement in August, WBTV reported. .widget-img { .widget-value { Gaston County's Republican race for sheriff between Belmont Police Chief Chad Hawkins and Mount Holly Police Chief Don Roper has been considered too close to call for months. overflow-x: scroll; But the only Democrat-affiliated countywide officeholder in Gaston County, outside two Superior Court judges,also said local Democrats have tired of him. Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters? background-color: #ccc; Cloninger released this information in a . Davis beat Gaston County assistant prosecutor Beth Stockwell, who received almost 31% of the vote and private practice attorney Eddie Meeks, who received 10% of the vote. } He faces challenges from current Gaston County Commissioner Ronnie Worley of Cramerton and Bumgardner's daughter, Lauren Bumgardner Current. It was between those two contingents that the real battles were waged, not between Democrats and Republicans. complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. Davis will be seeking a Superior Court judge seat and Hall will run as a Republican for the Dallas Township seat on the Gaston County Board of Commissioners. Elections will also be held for Sheriff, Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds. Drew Kromer wants to severely cripple GOPs chances in NC..contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} Loftis, a former Gaston County commissioner and Army veteran,faced challenges from Gaston County Commissioner Ronnie Worley, Belmont businessman John Gouch and Lauren Bumgardner Current, the daughter of the late representative. } text-align: center; Two Republicans, Belmont Police Chief Chad Hawkins and Mount Holly Police Chief Don Roper, have announced they will seek the GOP nomination for sheriff in 2022. $("div.vis_widget_title").click(function(){ Democrat Party leaders called Cloninger's claim they were grooming another Democrat to run against him a "fabricated statement," in a release of their own signed by Wagner, 1st Vice Chair Ro'Shaun McClendon, 2nd Vice Chair Sarah Koprowski, 3rd Vice Chair Natalee Nieves, Treasurer Kara Vowell and Secretary William Young. Primary elections will now take place May 17 in North Carolina. Of course, Caldwell added, recruiting such candidates will not be easy, primarily for two reasons: the need to raise money; and the personal negativity and attacks that often come with running for office. Yes, Cloninger answered, but it won't be easy. width: 100%; } font-style: italic; .votebox_legend { }) $('.collapse').collapse('show'); They can't abandon the party they grew up in to extremists. letter-spacing: 0.03em; background-color: #6db24f; Cloninger, whose wife Cathy is a candidate for the Board of Commissioners as a Republican, noted that he opted to become unaffiliated rather than join the Republican Party. 4 min read. It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your sheriff with your support and confidence in me.". } else { "Today, I am announcing that I will be retiring at the end of this term as your sheriff. Gaston County school board memberJustin Davisof Belmont, assistant prosecutorBeth Stockwellof Gastonia andEddie Meeksof Gastonia will compete in a three-way race for the party nomination. County Offices such as Sheriff, Register of Deeds, Board of Education and County Commissioner Contact county Contact county } } Gaston County election results will start coming in after polls close at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 17. I will continue to execute my duties until the time that a new Sheriff is sworn into office in December 2022. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. For Republicans, Pat Harrington easily beat Jonathan Simpson for the GOP nomination. font-size: 12px; On Election Day 2022, no Democrats will be on the ballot for the Gaston County Board of Commissioners. The elder Caldwell had been a judge for 28 years. .hideResponses { display: none;} August 05, 2021 at 6:06 am EDT. background-color: #003388; State executives | Members of the Gaston County Republican Party Executive Committee selected Loftis to fill out the remainder of Rep. Dana Bumgardner's term after his death in October. The young graduate of the Duke University School of Law was first elected to the General Assembly in 1966 and went on to serve for 14 years, including two terms as speaker of the house. Live Results: Gaston County Primary Races A mysterious website exposed Oatly conspiracies and scandals. background-color: green; Holly Police Chief Don Roper, who got 45%. A Democrat has held this office in Gaston County for decades, but that ended whenAlan Cloninger changedhis party affiliation from Democrat to unaffiliated in August. 110th House Rep. Kelly Hastings, R-Gaston, does not face opposition for a seventh term. } Eight months after that announcement, Cloninger was in a reflective mood as he discussed the future of his former political party. Other contested local races include for the . margin-top: 0px; Cloninger released this information in a statement detailing that he will also change his party affiliation from Democrat to an unaffiliated voter. The new district would include all of Gaston and Cleveland counties, and parts of Rutherford County to the west and Mecklenburg County to the east. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion.