Luray will feature two-way race for mayor and five-way race for three council seats; Stanley and Shenandoah feature uncontested races
By Randy Arrington
LURAY, June 20 — On Tuesday afternoon, the deadline closed for candidates to file in most municipal races featured on the November ballot. Town council races in Stanley and Shenandoah are set with uncontested incumbents, while Luray will feature a two-way race for mayor and a five-way race for three council seats.
Candidates in a special election in Stanley to fill the unexpired term of the late Duane Layman still have until Friday, Aug. 16 to file paperwork with the county’s voter registrar. No signatures are required, but forms must be filled out and submitted by that date to challenge Robyn Good, who was appointed to the fill the vacancy on council in May. Council members Joseph Mauck and Jeremiah Knight will be unopposed in a bid to retain their seats, as will Mayor Michael Knight.
Back in February, the race for Mayor of Luray was established early on between vice mayor Ron Vickers and fellow council member Stephanie Lilliard. Incumbent Jerry Dofflemyer made his intentions not to run for re-election known late last year. Since then, five candidates have stepped forward and filed paperwork to contend for three open council seats. Two incumbents will face three challengers. Councilman Ligon Webb is not running for another four-year term after accepting a new position as Director of Planning in Powhatan County. Voters in the Town of Luray may cast ballots for three of the following:
- Jason Pettit, incumbent
- Joey Sours, incumbent
- Wendy Temple Holtzman, challenger
- Robert Spencer, challenger
- Charles Butler, challenger
In Shenandoah, three candidates, including two incumbents — Christopher Reisinger, Mike Lowe and Brenda Haggett — will be unopposed on the November ballot for a four-year term on council. Reisinger and Lowe will return to the council, while Haggett will effectively fill the seat of Richard Pierce, who has chosen not to run for re-election. Mayor Clinton Lucas Jr. will also be unopposed for another two-year term.
Early in-person voting begins in just over 13 weeks on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
The Nov. 5 ballot will also contain three federal races, including the local seat for the U.S. House of Representatives held by Republican Ben Cline, who is being challenged by Democrat Ken Mitchell; Democrat Tim Kaine‘s seat in the U.S. Senate, (challenger to be named after finalizing Tuesday’s vote in GOP primary) and of course, President of the United States, between incumbent Democrat Joseph Biden and former President and challenger Donald Trump.
Around 550 local ballots were being canvassed and recorded on Thursday afternoon in the registrar’s office from Tuesday’s Republican primary, to see which GOP candidate will face off with Kaine for the Senate seat.
In order to cast a ballot in this fall’s general election, voters must register by Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
For more information about local elections, contact the Page County Voter Registrar’s office at 540-743-3986 or drop by their office at the Page County Government Center, 103 S. Court St., Suite D, Luray.
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