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High Point is among only a handful of North Carolina cities holding municipal elections this fall. In response to low off-year voter turnout, its City Council decided to switch to the general election this year. The thinking was that the wider appeal of high-profile national and state races would lead to bigger numbers on the local level.

However, the change didn't result in heightened candidate interest. Most incumbents, including Mayor Becky Smothers, are unopposed on the ballot. Yet High Point voters, if undeterred by ballot fatigue and lengthy waits, can vote in two contested ward races and to fill two at-large seats.

At-Large

Four candidates, including incumbent Latimer Alexander, filed for the two openings. And to complicate matters, former Councilman Al Campbell launched a late write-in campaign.

Alexander, 51, a council member since 2002, is seeking another two-year term. None of his opponents has held elective office.

Mary Lou Andrews Blakeney, 64, is a retired nurse who moved back to her hometown from California in 1996. She says she wants to give senior citizens a voice on the council, support small businesses and extend bus service.

At 31, Michael J. "Jason" Cox is the race's youngest candidate. He proposes the city enhance its Internet presence as a way to attract new business.

John Wesley Sneed II, 36, calls for greater economic diversification as the city's furniture base erodes. He also envisions a more vibrant downtown area and expanded tourist trade.

Alexander, a hard-working council member, deserves another term. He fulfills the requirement of an at-large member to see the city in broad terms and concentrate on retail and residential areas that could use a boost.

The best way to accomplish that, he believes, is to extend to inner-city locations the same kind of infrastructure improvements that have benefited fast-growing north High Point. He also supports judicious use of city incentives to bring in new jobs.

The second seat should go to Blakeney, whose interest in public affairs goes back to high school. She participated with other William Penn students in High Point's lunch-counter sit-ins in 1960. She's been active in the community since returning to the city and offers a mature outlook on issues.

Ward 2

When longtime Councilman Ron Wilkins said he wouldn't seek another term, six candidates filed for the chance to succeed him. One, Fitzgerald Waller, later changed his mind about running. The other five have raised similar concerns about rundown conditions and lack of opportunities in the east-central High Point ward.

Ward 2 needs a councilman who can focus on problems and channel city and community resources into effective solutions. Four candidates seem well qualified for that role.

The best choice is Julius Clark, 57, who's been deeply involved in High Point concerns for many years. He serves on the Core City Steering Committee and is past president of the city's NAACP chapter. He wants to push for implementation of the Core City Plan, stronger efforts to stem gang activity and enforcement of ordinances against littering, loitering and vandalism.

Jerry Mingo, 61, chairs the High Point Weed and Seed Committee, which employs community-level anti-crime strategies. He's brought attention to the problem of young people roaming the streets during school hours and late at night.

Promising younger candidates are Tony Davis, 41, and Pride Grimm Jr., 31. Davis says he would bring the most passion and energy to the job and focus on equitable services for the ward. Grimm has put forward a detailed agenda, starting with use of targeted incentives to create inner-city jobs.

Foster Douglass, 47, calls for better youth programs and bus service improvements. His candidacy is harmed by nearly $20,000 in a court judgment he's owed the city for years.

Ward 6

Council member Lisa Stahlmann's decision not to run again to represent this north High Point district prompted at-large Councilman John Faircloth, 69, to throw his hat into the ring. Both he and his opponent, retired High Point political science professor Jim Corey, 70, are strong candidates.

Faircloth is a former police chief who is well-experienced in the ins and outs of city government. He hopes, if elected, to make more connections between his booming district and the older areas of the city.

Corey hopes to rejuvenate the city with a few big ideas, such as a jobs incubator in south High Point that would boost that area and small businesses. He also sees the furniture city's future in diversifying its industry base: He especially thinks the manufacture of solar panels would be good to pursue.

Faircloth's many years of practical service to the city make him the candidate best suited to deal with the nuts and bolts of local governance. Still, High Point should take advantage of Corey's enthusiasm and big-picture thinking. Surely, there's a committee on which he could serve.