RIchmond County Director of Elections Connie Kelly said with all seats accounted for in November’s municipal elections, the filing period would not be extended.

Thus, the field is set, and voters in Rockingham and Hamlet will have a choice in their mayorial races, with the incumbents pitted against one challenger apiece.

Council races in Rockingham, Hamlet and Ellerbe will see at least one registered candidate on the outside looking in after the tally is counted as well.

In Rockingham, incumbent Mayor Gene McLaurin will face off against challenger Bruce Stanback.

McLaurin has held the Office of Mayor since 1997.

Stanback has served five terms as the Chairman of the Richmond County School Board in the past decade, as well as serving as the Chairman of the Rockingham Housing Authority’s Board of Directors. He is currently the subject of an investigation for his role at the RHA.

The mayorial race in the City of Hamlet will pit incumbent Mayor Jeff Smart against current Hamlet City Councilman Jesse McQueen.

Smart is seeking his second two-year term in office.

McQueen was elected to city council in 2005. He has a pending lawsuit against the City of Hamlet related to his term of employment as a Hamlet police officer, and was the only Hamlet City Councilman to vote against this year’s municipal budget.

Incumbent Hoffman Mayor Jo Ann Jasper-Thomas will run unopposed as will political newcomer Olivia Webb in Ellerbe.

The Rockingham City Counicl race will feature six candidates for three offices.

Incumbents John Hutchinson, Steve Morris and Shirley Fuller will face off with challengers Teressa Beavers, Travis Billingsley and Jerry Austin Jr.

The top two vote-getters in this race will earn four-year terms, while the third highest vote-getter will earn a two-year term. Three candidates will be on the outside looking-in when all is said and done.

The Hamlet City Council race will feature three candidates vying for two open seats.

Incumbent Councilwoman Abbie Covington will be joined on the ticket by two people who have yet to hold public office in Dr. Diane Honeycutt and Jonathan Buie.

The Town of Ellerbe also has one more candidate than available seats in its council race.

Incumbents Evon Craven, Jerry Meacham and Brenda Chambers are joined on the ballot by Molly Russell. Only three seats are available.

Dobbins Heights Town Council will have three candidates for its two open seats. Incumbent Angeline David will run along with challengers Romeo Jones and James Whitt.

Hoffman’s Town Council race will feature familiar faces to local voters. All five incumbents filed for re-election, while no one declared their intentions to oppose them.

The five incumbents are Tommy Hart, Kevin Jones, Daniel Kelly, Lee Butler and Terry Thomas.