Jim Bensman didn’t make it because he decided not to seek another term, but if he had, it’s entirely possible the entire town board may have run unopposed. That’s how well things are running in Cornelius these days.

Meanwhile, in Huntersville, the 2011 election is shaping up to be something out of the wild, wild west. With at least three “vacant” seats and a first-term commissioner challenging incumbent Jill Swain for mayor, there could be upwards of a dozen or more candidates filing for what is now a six-person board.

Unrest has been the norm in Huntersville since many can recall, going all the way back to the late 1980s when the town first began to annex the western territory. After the board was taken over entirely by those west of the interstate in 1991, the pushback from old Huntersville began, and it has gone on ever since.

Most town elections now come down to a nearly even split between old town interests and those in the “suburbs,” but not truly even because of an odd number of commissioners at the dais. This year, with six seats up for grabs, there will either be a majority with a mandate or a 50-50 split, with whomever the mayor happens to be casting tie-breaking votes.

Talkers note that makes this year’s town election more important than ever.