Early voting begins next month

Published 8:30 pm Sunday, September 26, 2021

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Municipal election early voting will be from Oct. 14-30

POLK COUNTY—Polk County voters living in its 3 towns will have the opportunity soon to cast their votes early for the 2021 municipal election. 

Early voting will be from Oct. 14-30 in Polk County for the elections of Columbus, Saluda and Tryon. 

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Early voting can be done at the Polk County Board of Elections Office, located on the second floor of the Womack building in Columbus. 

Voting can be done at the elections office on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Polk County’s towns will have only 1 race this year for the municipal election and that is for the Saluda mayor. The only race will be between incumbent Saluda Mayor Fred Baisden and challenger Tangie Morgan. 

Only incumbents filed for the Town of Tryon, including mayor Alan Peoples and commissioners Bill Crowell and Bill Ingham. 

In Columbus, mayor Pat McCool filed for re-election and incumbent councilmen Richard Hall and Mark Phillips. Councilman Robert Williamson did not file for re-election but Becky Kennedy filed to fill his seat. 

Saluda commissioners Paul Marion and Mark Oxtoby both filed for re-election with no challengers. 

In the Town of Columbus, the mayor seat is open for a 2-year term and 3 council seats available. The top vote getter for council will receive a 4-year term and the next 2 will receive 2-year terms. 

In the City of Saluda, the mayor seat and 2 commissioner seats are available. 

The mayor seat in Saluda is a 4-year term as well as the 2 commissioner seats. 

In the Town of Tryon, the mayor seat is open as well as 2 commissioner seats. The mayor seat in Tryon is for 2 years, while the 2 commissioner seats are 4-year terms. 

Election Day for the municipal election is Nov. 2, 2021. 

For more information about the municipal election this year visit polknc.org or call the elections office at 828-894-8181.