Written by Whitley Kilcrease

As the Aug. 28 municipal elections near, a few important deadlines are approaching.

The deadline for submitting absentee ballots applications in Troy and Brundidge is 5 p.m. August 23. If applying by mail, the postmark must be on or before this date.

Hand-delivered absentee ballots will be accepted until 5 p.m. on August 27 while ballots sent via mail should be postmarked by this date and received by noon on election day.

According to Troy City Clerk Alton Starling, applications for absentee ballots will only be accepted in cases of medical emergency or incarceration. Emergency applications are accepted until 5 p.m. on August 27.

On Wednesday Aug. 15, there will be a test of the balloting machines at 9 a.m. This will be open to the public across from the Pike County Courthouse. Training for balloting officials begins afterward at 10 a.m. inside the courthouse.

In Troy, incumbent Charlie Dunn will run against Shelby Tuck for the District 1 councilmember position; Greg Meeks will step into the District 2 councilmember’s seat; Todd Kreis and Marcus Paramore want to fill the District 3 council position vacated by Mayor-elect Jason Reeves; incumbent Johnny Witherington will continue to represent District 4; and incumbent Wanda Moultry and Dejerilyn Henderson wish to represent District 5.

In Brundidge, incumbent Mayor Jimmy Ramage is up against Michael Foster and Jamie Lee Powell in the mayor’s race; incumbent Lawrence Bowden and Betty Baxter wish to represent Brundidge as District 1 councilmember; incumbent Arthur Griffin is running against former councilmember Jaine Treadwell; Andrea Bailey, Margaret Ross, Anthony Foster and Terry Casey wish to fill the District 3 councilmember seat; incumbent Cynthia Pearson and Byron Gaynor are up for the District 4 councilmember position; and Isabelle Boyd and Stephen Coleman wish to represent District 5 as councilmember.

In Goshen, incumbent Jack Waller is up against former mayor Michael Sanders in the mayoral race.

For city council, there are eight candidates for the open election: incumbent Carter Sanders, former mayor Malon Johnson, Erin Jordan, Jane Hughes, William McCloud, Mack Barber and former councilmembers Jimmy Bryan and Bill McMasters.

Polls will be open on election day from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.