POLK COUNTY – Residents in Polk County’s three towns who want to run for council elections can file to run beginning on Friday, July 7.

Filing is open for the next three weeks at the Polk County Board of Elections Office, located on the second floor of the Womack building in Columbus.

Filing will begin at noon on Friday, July 7 and end at noon on Friday, July 21.

There are several seats on each town/city council open this year, including the mayor of Columbus, Saluda and Tryon.

In Columbus, Mayor Eric McIntyre’s seat is up for re-election, along with the council seats of Josh Denton, Richard Hall and Mark Phillips.

In Saluda, Mayor Fred Baisden’s seat is up, along with the council seats of Carolyn Ashburn and Mark Oxtoby.

In Tryon, Mayor Alan Peoples’ seat is up, along with the council seats of Bill Crowell and Bill Ingham. Former commissioner Roy Miller’s seat is also up this year to finish out the remainder of his four-year term. Miller resigned earlier this year, but was not up for re-election until 2019. Tryon Town Council last week appointed Chrelle Booker to fill his seat, but she will only be the appointee until the November election. Someone will be elected in November to finish out the remaining two years of Miller’s term.

Columbus and Tryon mayors receive two-year terms while the Saluda Mayor receives a four-year term. All other council seats in each of the three towns/city run for two- and four-year terms, with the highest vote getters receiving four-year terms and the lowest vote getters receiving two-year terms.

In Tryon, Crowell has not yet been elected. He was appointed by council in 2015 to fill the remaining term of former commissioner Happy McLeod, who resigned in 2015.

There is a chance in all three towns to change the council’s majorities.

Councilwoman Margaret Metcalf is the only elected official not up for re-election this year in Columbus; Crys Armbrust is the only elected official in Tryon not up for re-election this year; and commissioners Leon Morgan and Stan Walker are the only elected officials not up for re-election this year in Saluda.

The general municipal election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 7.