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Lincoln County has five County Commissioners.  Two or three are elected--on a rotating basis, two in one election year, three in the next election year two years later--to four-year terms.  

That's  not unusual.  Catawba and Cleveland counties also have five commissioners--and like Lincoln, they are elected in a county-wide election and may reside anywhere in the county.

Gaston County has seven County Commissioners, one from each of the county's six townships except for Gastonia township, the county's largest, which has two. While all run in a county-wide election, they must reside in the township they represent.

Many years ago, the Republican and Democrat parties in Lincoln County did choose their candidates on a township by township basis.  In those days, all five commissioners posts were up for election every four years--all at once.  The parties offered one candidate from each of the county's five townships. 

In recent years, court decisions have insisted on representation being based on population.  It's true of General Assembly elections, Congressional elections, school board elections.  Why not Commissioners?

The Census Bureau estimates that in 2022, Lincoln County's township population was divided very unevenly:

North Brook 5,372

Howards Creek 9,296

Lincolnton 21,067

Ironton 22,422

Catawba Springs 29,676

To have representation on a township by township basis and still maintain the so-called 'one man, one vote' policy of representation based on population, that would mean if North Brook were entitled to one Commissioner, Howards Creek would likely need two; Lincolnton and Ironton, four; and Catawba Springs, five.  Of course, those figures are 2022 estimates--the population of eastern Lincoln County has grown even larger by comparison in the last two years.  

Any change in Commission elections would require General Assembly action.  It's not only unlikely--it's impractical. 

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