From the mayor’s seat to small-town boards, voters in municipalities across Cumberland County will help decide the future of local governments this fall.
But first, candidates have to make it official.
Filing for municipal elections in Cumberland County begins noon July 7 and ends noon July 18, according to the Cumberland County Board of Elections.
This year’s ballot will include races in Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Spring Lake and Cumberland County’s smaller municipalities. The primary Oct. 7 will be followed by the municipal general election on Nov. 4, if necessary.
Early voting for the primary runs from Sept. 18 through Oct. 5. Early voting for the general election begins Oct. 16 and ends Nov. 1.
Absentee voting by mail begins Sept. 5 for the primary and Oct. 3 for the general election. Ballot requests are due by Sept. 30 and Oct. 29, respectively. Completed ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
All 10 seats on the Fayetteville City Council are on the ballot in 2025.
What offices are up for election?
In Fayetteville, all 10 seats on the City Council are up for grabs, including the mayor and nine district-based council seats. Each position carries a two-year term.
Hope Mills voters will elect a mayor and all five members of the Board of Commissioners. Spring Lake voters will elect a mayor and five commissioners.
Other municipalities with races on the ballot include Eastover, Falcon, Godwin, Linden, Stedman and Wade. The Eastover Sanitary District will also hold an election for a board member seat.
There are no countywide races on the ballot for seats on the Board of Commissioners or Board of Education.
Filing fees
Filing fees vary significantly depending on the office sought.
In most Cumberland County municipalities, the filing fee is nominal — typically between $5 and $15. But in Fayetteville, the fee to run for mayor is $376.76, and the fee for a City Council seat is $206, according to the Board of Elections.
That’s because North Carolina law requires filing fees to equal 1% of the annual salary for the office. Fayetteville’s elected officials receive higher compensation than their counterparts in smaller towns, resulting in substantially higher fees.
The State Board of Elections maintains that the percentage-based system is applied uniformly across the state.
How to register to vote
To vote in the Oct. 7 primary, residents must register by Sept. 13. The registration deadline for the Nov. 4 general election is Oct. 11.
Eligible voters can register online through the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles or by submitting a voter registration form to the county Board of Elections office. Same-day registration is also available during the early voting period with proof of residency.
Voters can check their registration status, find their polling place and learn more at cumberlandcountync.gov/elections.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Filing opens July 7 for Fayetteville, Spring Lake, Hope Mills 2025 races