Elections

Cary Vowels who has survived at least one rocky election to be a Simpsonville city commissioner for 10 years, wants to give the job two more years.

Vowels filed for re-election to the commission, where he has overseen the finance and parks committees.

Vowels is one of five candidates for the four spots on the commission, to which he was elected in 2002. Elections are non-partisan and are held every two years, with the mayor elected to a 4-year term.

Bob Burry said Friday that he is removing his name from the race for Shelbyville City Council because of illnesses in his family.

Burry, a Republican who was attempting his second run for city council, said it just wasn’t fair to the city or the other candidates to stay in the race.

“I can’t emotionally do this [run for the council],” he said. “I don’t want to draw votes that would go to someone else. It wouldn’t be fair to the voters or the other candidates.”

Norris Beckley sat on the Shelbyville City Council for four years in the 1980s, and he’d like to get that seat back.
Beckley, a Democrat who lives in Martinsville with his wife Teretha, has two sons Norris ‘Boomer’ Beckley Jr. and Richland.
“I’m excited to give it a second shot,” he said, referring to coming up short in the 2010 election. “I’m really looking forward to going door-to-door and meeting people and getting my name out.

Donna Eaton's house is devoted to local government in Shelby County.

Eaton is the only woman on the Shelbyville City Council and currently is in her sixth year, and her husband, David Eaton, is a former council member and mayor of Shelbyville and now the city administrator for Simpsonville.

Donna Eaton, a Democrat who serves on the fire, police and 911 committees, said the city's finances and improving the economy would continue to be major factors as the election comes up.