Amy Fowler won the race for the Orange County Board of Commissioners At-Large seat Tuesday night, while the District 1 race was so close, it may not be decided until later in the week.

Fowler ran against incumbent Mark Marcoplos, who had served the previous term in the at-large seat.

After early polling results came in, Fowler held around 76 percent of the early votes – making up 20 percent of the total votes for the county.

After all the precincts were recorded, Fowler beat Marcoplos by more than 21,000 votes.

Following her victory, Fowler said she ecstatic with the outcome and she hopes to be an active listener to the community while on the board.

“My goal is to serve all of Orange County,” she said. “I think it’s important with any planning and decision making to be listening to people, making sure you have time for public comment and hearing what the stakeholders have to say.”

In the other race for spots on the board, Jean Hamilton beat out the two incumbents Penny Rich and Mark Dorosin for a seat in District 1. Early results showed Hamilton had a slight lead over Dorosin and Rich, remaining  37 percent of the vote in early voting and maintaining that percentage throughout Election Day.

She described to Chapelboro how it felt to join the Board of County Commissioners.

“I’m delighted with the campaign I ran and the outcome tonight,” said Hamilton. “I’m very thankful for all my supporters, volunteers, donors and voters. We hope the campaign has brought attention to the needs of the public schools in our community. We have to find a way to increase our support for education, as well as continuing to address the issues of equity, the environment and economic development.”

The other two candidates, however, are currently in a deadlock for the other seat. Rich, who is the current Chair of the Board, holds a nine-vote lead over Dorosin on Tuesday night. Incoming absentee ballots will be counted over the next few days and may play into the outcome.

For full election coverage on the other local elections, as well as state races and the 2020 Democratic primary for the presidential nomination, visit the Chapelboro elections page.

Related Stories
‹
Dorosin Defeats Rich in Orange County Commissioners Race After Provisional, Absentee Ballot Count
Following a count of provisional and absentee ballots, the Orange County Board of Elections determined Mark Dorosin held nine votes over Penny Rich on Thursday evening. The votes totals remain unofficial. The results will be made official Friday morning when the board meets again to approve the results and will send them to the State […]
Rich, Dorosin in Limbo, Waiting on Final Votes for OC Board of Commissioners Seat
In the race for the Orange County Board of Commissioners, Jean Hamilton beat out two incumbents to successfully claim her seat – but it remains a painstakingly close race to fill the last open seat on the board. Incumbent candidate, and chair of the board, Penny Rich, is in a deadlock with fellow incumbent Mark […]
Former Town Councilor, Pastor María Palmer Details Orange County Commissioner Campaign
María Palmer's campaign for a District 1 Orange County Commissioner seat is built around championing equity and improving affordability.
Orange County Public Transportation Piloting Fare-Free Model in 2026
Orange County Public Transportation will be piloting a one-year, fare-free model for its fixed-route transit services beginning Jan. 2, 2026. The Orange County Board of Commissioners approved the move at its Dec. 9 meeting. In a press release, the county government hailed the move as “an important step in testing strategies to expand mobility, promote […]
Orange County Board Makes CITEL Deal Official, Offers Tax Incentives
The Orange County Board of Commissioners passed an agreement with CITEL to move its American manufacturing operations to Hillsborough.
Reforming and Contextualizing Orange County's Property Assessments — Dec. 11, 2025
Brighton McConnell moderates a discussion between Shereese Alston, Beverly Scarlett, Hudson Vaughan, Marilyn Carter and Amy Fowler.
EXCLUSIVE: Karen Stegman Announces Campaign for Orange County Commissioner Seat
Chapel Hill native and former town council member Karen Stegman plans to run for the Board of Orange County Commissioners in 2026.
Orange County Commissioner Sally Greene Will Not Run for Re-election in 2026
Sally Greene posted on her Facebook page Monday afternoon she plans to depart the Board of Orange County Commissioners next winter, opening up an at-large seat in the 2026 election.
Orange County to Host Emergency Food Distributions This Weekend for Local SNAP Recipients
For residents who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Orange county will host food distributions this weekend.
Orange County Discusses Bond Projects and State Budget Delay With Local School Boards
The Orange County Board of Commissioners recently held a joint meeting with the local school boards to hear updates from each district.
›