COLUMBUS – There have been five people file to run in the 2017 municipal election for the towns of Columbus and Tryon and City of Saluda.

Filing began Friday, July 7, with all five people filing on the opening day.

Incumbent commissioner Bill Ingham filed to run in Tryon, along with Bill Crowell (who was appointed in 2015) for town council and incumbent Tryon Mayor Alan Peoples.

In Columbus, Ernie Kan filed to run for council along with incumbent councilman Mark Phillips.

In Tryon, there are two council seats (Ingham and Crowell’s) open along with the mayor seat as well as the seat of former commissioner Roy Miller, who resigned in June. The person who is elected to fill Miller’s unfinished term will serve until 2019, when they will have to run again. Tryon Town Council appointed Chrelle Booker to fill Miller’s seat, effective July 1, until the election in November.

In Columbus, there are three council seats open, those of councilman Phillips and councilmen Josh Denton and Richard Hall, along with the mayor seat.

In Saluda, there are two council seats open, the seats of commissioner Mark Oxtoby and Carolyn Ashburn as well as mayor Fred Baisden’s seat.

Filing is open until noon on Friday, July 21 at the Polk County Board of Elections Office, located on the second floor of the Womack building in Columbus. There is a $5 filing fee for all seats.

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