Candidates file for election 2023: Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, school board

Orange County could see significant changes in leadership this year as Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough voters elect new mayors, fill vacant council seats and choose from 18 candidates to fill four seats on the city school board.

Chapel Hill’s incumbent Mayor Pam Hemminger announced July 19 that she would not seek a fifth term in office, citing a need to rest and focus on other interests. Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils and Hillsborough Mayor Jennifer Weaver also are not running again.

Carrboro Council member Barbara Foushee is running unopposed to replace Seils, and Hillsborough Town Board member Mark Bell is unopposed in the race to replace Weaver.

There were no candidates halfway through the filing period for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, but the field exploded after a local blog stated four unnamed people affiliated with the conservative group Moms for Liberty might attempt a takeover of the seven-person school board.

The final list includes multiple political newcomers — one of whom dropped out Friday due to a family tragedy — and three incumbent school board members. They will compete for four open seats; board member Jillian La Serna did not file for re-election.

The Chapel Hill election also promises to be interesting, with two council members who have regularly butted heads over town issues and council decisions vying to replace Hemminger.

Adam Searing, who was elected to Chapel Hill’s Town Council in 2021 and regularly votes against the council majority, announced he would seek the mayor’s office in June. On July 19, just hours after Hemminger declined to seek a fifth term, Chapel Hill Council member Jessica Anderson, a public policy analyst and college educator, joined the race with Hemminger’s support.

Voters in all three towns also will elect at least one new town board member each in the Nov. 7 general election. Board members passing on another term are: Carrboro Mayor Pro Tem Susan Romaine, Carrboro Council member Sammy Slade, and Chapel Hill Council members Michael Parker and Tai Huynh. Anderson’s council seat is open this year.

Chapel Hill Council member Amy Ryan, who is seeking a second term in office, will run alongside nine newcomers. Carrboro’s council field is also crowded, with four newcomers joining first-term incumbent Council member Eliazar Posada on the ballot.

The early voting period will run Oct. 19 to Nov. 4. All of the races on the ballot are nonpartisan.

Voter registration deadline: Voters can register through 5 p.m. Oct. 13 to vote in this year’s elections, or register during early voting.

More information: Orange County, orangecountync.gov/1720/Elections; Durham County, dcovotes.com

Chapel Hill mayor

▪ Name: Jessica Anderson

Age: 44

Relevant experience: Town Council member since 2015 (served twice as mayor pro tempore); Council Committee on Economic Sustainability chair since 2021; 2019 Chapel Hill Magazine Woman of Achievement

Website: jessformayor.org

▪ Name: Adam Searing

Age: 56

Relevant experience: Chapel Hill Town Council, 2021-present; co-founder, Friends of the Greene Tract; former member and chair, Covenant with North Carolina’s Children; former member and chair, Carrboro Planning Board

Website: adam4chapelhill.com

Chapel Hill Town Council

▪ Name: David Adams

Age: 73

▪ Name: Breckany Eckhardt

Age: 41

Relevant experience: Democratic Party canvasser; no political offices held

Website: www.breckany.com (coming soon)

▪ Name: Jeffrey Hoagland

Age: 37

Relevant experience: Ran for Town Council in 2021

▪ Name: Melissa McCullough

Age: 68

Relevant experience: Spent year working on Environmental Protection Agency sustainability planning “detail” with Chapel Hill and Durham to identify gaps and opportunity; Chapel Hill Planning Commission, seven years, including as liaison to the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board and the Community Design Commission. Sierra Club, former Democratic Party precinct chair, and board member with the Bike Alliance of Chapel Hill.

Website: melissaforchapelhill.com

▪ Name: Jonathan (Jon) Mitchell

Age: 43

Relevant experience: Chapel Hill Planning Commission 2021-present (chair, 2022-present); participated in drafting the town’s new Complete Community development framework.

Website: jon4chapelhill.com

▪ Name: Theodore Nollert

Age: 29

Relevant experience: 2022-23 president, UNC-Chapel Hill Graduate and Professional Student Government; member, Chapel Hill Planning Commission

Website: theodore4chapelhill.com

Name: Amy Ryan

Age: 63

Relevant experience: Council member since 2019; 17 years of service on Chapel Hill advisory boards and committees, including Planning Commission and Community Design Commission

▪ Name: Elizabeth Sharp

Age: 44

Relevant experience: PTA president and board member, Montessori Community School; former member, Northside Elementary School Improvement Team; volunteer for Neighbors on Call and Lillian’s List

Website: elizabethsharp.org

▪ Name: Renuka Soll

Age: 56

Relevant experience: Chair, Chapel Hill Parks, Greenways, and Recreation Commission; treasurer, North Carolinians against Gun Violence; organizer of three Gun Give Back events, Chapel Hill’s People’s Academy and Community Police Academy graduate

Website: renukasoll.com

▪ Name: Erik Valera

Relevant experience: member, Chapel Hill Planning Commission; Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs

Website: valeraforchapelhill.com

Carrboro mayor

▪ Name: Barbara Foushee

Age: 58

Relevant experience: Carrboro Town Council, 2017-present; OWASA Board of Directors, 2015-2018; Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP, Silver Life and Executive Committee member; Carrboro Human Services Advisory Board and Community Home Trust, former board member; First Baptist Church of Chapel Hill Community Action and Political Awareness Ministry, co-chair; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; Eta Phi Zeta Graduate Chapter

Website: barbaramfoushee.com

Carrboro Town Council

▪ Name: Catherine Fray

Age: 37

Relevant experience: Carrboro Planning Board, 10 years, elected chair twice; co-chair, Carrboro Connects task force

Website: frayforcarrboro.com

▪ Name: Jason Merrill

Age: 45

Relevant experience: Chapel Hill Transportation and Connectivity Advisory Board, 6 years, elected chair twice

Website: www.bikeboro.com

▪ Name: April Mills

Age: 43

Relevant experience: member, N.C. Economic Development Association; board member, American Red Cross, Association of Corporate Growth, Morrisville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Triangle CREW and Council for Entrepreneurial Development; honored by Triangle Business Journal as the Top 25 Women in Business in the Triangle in 2012 and with the 40 Under 40 Award; graduate, Leadership North Carolina Class XXIV.

Website: aprilforcarrboro.com

▪ Name: Eliazar Posada (incumbent)

Age: 30

Relevant experience: Carrboro Town Council, 2022-present; Carrboro Planning Board, 2020-22; Carrboro Connects Comprehensive Planning Task Force, 2020-22; N.C. Democratic Party State Executive Committee, 2020-present.

Website: eliazarforcarrboro.com

▪ Name: Stephanie Wade

Age: 48

Relevant experience: volunteer, Meals on Wheels of Orange County

Website: stephaniewadenc.com

Hillsborough mayor

▪ Name: Mark Bell

Age: 57

Relevant experience: Hillsborough Town Board of Commissioners, 2015-present; Hillsborough Mayor Pro Tempore, 2019-21; Hillsborough Parks and Recreation Board, 2018-19; Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization, 2017-present; Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau (chair), 2016-present; Alliance for Historic Hillsborough (chair), 2008-14; Hillsborough Historic District Commission (chair), 2007-15

Website: facebook.com/MarkBellForHillsborough

Hillsborough Board of Commissioners

▪ Name: Meaghun Darab

Age: 46

Relevant experience: Orange County Schools central pantry manager, board member, Porch Hillsborough; 2019-20 PTA president, Hillsborough Elementary School

Website: meaghun4hillsborough.com

▪ Name: Matt Hughes (incumbent)

Age: 32

Relevant experience: Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, 2018-present; Juvenile Justice Planning Committee of the Governor’s Crime Commission, 2022-present; Hillsborough Historic Commission, 2021-present; N.C. Human Relations Commission, 2017-22; Hillsborough Tourism Development Authority, 2018-present; Hillsborough Tourism Board, 2016-present; Orange County Board of Adjustment, 2015-18; President of Northern Orange NAACP, 2023-present; member, Democratic National Committee, 2020-present; Chair, Orange County Democratic Party, 2011-17

Website: matthughesnc.com

▪ Name: Evelyn Lloyd (incumbent)

Age: 81

Relevant experience: Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, 1991-present; former member, Historic Hillsborough Commission (41 years of service); former member, Orange County Health Board, Orange County Human Relations Commission, Orange County Board of Elections and N.C. Pharmaceutical Association board; former member and president, N.C. Board of Pharmacy

Website: facebook.com/EvelynLloydforHillsboroughTownBoard

▪ Name: Victoria Joy Masika

Relevant experience: church community leader, 2005-11; Outreach Ministry leader, DKM Ministry, 2012-present

Website: masikaforcommissioner.com

Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education

▪ Name: Hasan Abdullah

Age: 36

Relevant experience: member, Orange County Economic Development Advisory Board; Orange County Affordable Housing Advisory Board; member, Carrboro Environmental Advisory Board; CHCCS parent and alumnus.

▪ Name: Meredith Ballew

▪ Name: Rani Dasi

Age: 52

Relevant experience: School board member since 2015, including as vice chair and chair; board member, Public School Foundation and Orange County’s Family Success Alliance; board chair, Walking Classroom; executive board, N.C. Caucus of Black School Board Members; Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA board

Website: dasiforschoolboard.com

▪ Name: Vickie Feaster Fornville

▪ Name: Barbara Fedders

▪ Name: Jane Gabin

Relevant experience: member, Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling, Victorian Society of New York, Alliance Francaise chapters in New York City and Raleigh

Website: janesgabin.com

▪ Name: Madison Garcia

Age: 36

Note from the candidate: Due to a sudden family tragedy, I have made the difficult decision to declare my campaign inactive as of July 20th.

▪ Name: Solomon Gibson III

Age: 68

Relevant experience: Hate-Free Schools Coalition; TABLE food relief volunteer; teaching and working with children in multiple afterschool programs, summer camps, child developmental research programs and children’s theater; member, Ethical Humanists local chapter; Progressive Democrats of Orange County

▪ Name: Mariela Hernandez

▪ Name: Lauren Kelly

▪ Name: Scott McConnell

Age: 37

Relevant experience: Board of Directors, Frank Gallery; CHCCS parent

Website: None yet

▪ Name: Linda Mensing-Triplett

▪ Name: Honoria Middough

▪ Name: Renee Peet

▪ Name: Ashton Powell

▪ Name: Michelle Rissling

▪ Name: Taylor Tally

▪ Name: Deon Temne (incumbent)

Age: 51

Relevant experience: Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board, 2019-present, (ISC)2 Raleigh-Durham; steering committee member, Campaign for Racial Equity in Our Schools; member, Equity Advisory Council; representative, Special Needs Advisory Council, Seawell Elementary 2018-19; representative, Northside Elementary, Superintendent’s Family Commission

Website: facebook.com/deontemne4chccs

▪ Name: Allison Willis