Write-in candidate hoped to connect

While Joel Bauer didn’t grow up here he says he is ardent in his support for the community at large. In his attempted mayoral run during last week’s municipal election in Hayesville, he positioned himself as a write-in candidate, getting a total of nine votes. He lost by a wide margin to incumbent Harry Baughn.

“It kind of started on a whim,” he jokes. 

“I’ve been very blessed by this area and it’s kind of one of the reasons that I wanted to run, because I feel like I would have more of an ear on the street than some of the people sitting in office,” Bauer said.