15 candidates file for Winston-Salem City Council

Fifteen candidates have officially filed to run for Winston-Salem City Council. As of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Mayor Allen Joines remains unopposed in his bid for a third term in office, according to the Forsyth County Board of Elections website.

Peter Sorenson and Jim Painter have filed for the Republican nomination to represent the city's Northwest Ward. Incumbent Wanda Merschel, a Democrat, has not officially announced whether or not she will seek a fourth term in office. City Councilman Robert Clark, a Republican who represents the city's West Ward, has filed to run for a third term in office. No other candidates have filed to run in the primary for the West Ward seat. Ted Shipley has filed his candidacy for the Republican nomination to represent the city's Southwest Ward. Dan Besse, the Democratic incumbent, will seek a third term in office.

Molly Leight, the Democratic incumbent who represents the South Ward, will seek a second term in office. At the moment, she remains unopposed. Evelyn Terry, the Democratic incumbent who represents the Southeast Ward, will face at least two challengers in the Sept. 15 primary. James Taylor, a 28-year-old juvenile justice counselor, and Jimmie Boyd, a retired police supervisor, have both filed to run for the Democratic nomination in the Southeast Ward.

Joycelyn Johnson, the Democratic incumbent in the city's East Ward, has one challenger so far for her party's nomination. Donald L. Scales has filed his candidacy for the East Ward seat. Mayor Pro Tem Vivian Burke, the Democratic incumbent from the Northeast Ward, will seek another term in office. Burke, who has served on the council since 1977, remains unopposed at this point.

The retirement of long-time city council member Nelson Malloy has opened up the race for the North Ward seat. Phillip Carter and DD Adams have filed to run in the Democratic primary. Democrat Wayne Patterson, a local attorney, has announced his candidacy for the North Ward seat but had not filed by end of day Tuesday. John Hopkins is the only Republican to file for the North Ward seat vacated by Malloy's retirement.

Candidate filing closes on July 17 at noon.