November 7, 2023 Election
Three Winterville City Council positions and the Mayor's position will be on the ballot for the November 7, 2023 election. The Winterville Civitan Club will host a Candidate Forum at the Marigold Auditorium on October 2nd at 6:30 p.m.
Mayor
Dodd Ferrelle is running unopposed for his third four-year term as mayor.
City Council
Each council member is elected to four-year overlapping terms. Typically there are two seats open every two years, but in this election there is a partial term open as well. To qualify for City Council, an individual must live within city limits, must be a qualified voter of the city, and must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the election. There are no City Council districts in Winterville. All candidates represent the entire city.
City Council partial term (one seat):
Tina Mills is running unopposed for the City Council seat left vacant when Timothy Pierce-Tomlin resigned in May of 2023. Her term will run through the end of 2025. Since this is a partial term, Tina Mills can be sworn in immediately following the certification of the election on November. Other winning candidates for City Council will take office in January, 2024.
City Council four-year term (two seats):
Melissa Metzger (incumbent), Dianne Greene, Jonathan Mosley, and Kenneth Tweedell are running for two seats on City Council. All four candidates will be on the same ballot. Voters may cast two votes. The two candidates with the most votes will win the two seats.
November 2, 2021 Election
Three Winterville City Council positions were on the ballot for the November 2, 2021 Winterville municipal election in two separate races:
City Council partial term (one seat):
Melissa Metzger and Mark Farmer ran for one seat with a partial 2-year term that opened up when Mary Quinn resigned. There was only one seat available so this was a contested race. Melissa Metzger won and started serving on City Council in November 2021.
City Council four-year term (two seats):
Bruce Johnson and Gary Snow ran for two seats that have 4-year terms. These seats were bundled together and the top two were elected. This was no longer a contested race after Mark Farmer withdrew early in the race to run for a partial 2-year term (see below). However, I still wanted and needed your vote. Your vote let the Mayor and City Council know that you support me and my platform. Thank you to everyone who supported me. I started my term in January of 2022.
There was also an Education Special Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) referendum on the ballot that includes updated technology for instruction, support for digital learning, and modernized safety and security equipment, as well as new school buses to replace older, less efficient vehicles, ongoing maintenance on schools and athletic facilities (roofing, carpet, HVAC, paint, and lighting), upgraded equipment and kitchens for nutrition, and upgraded custodial equipment. This referendum passed.
Voter turnout was 24% (236 voters out of 983 registered voters).