There will be at least one new mayor and at least one mayoral race in Orange County this fall.

Tom Stevens announced earlier this year that he would not seek an eighth term as mayor of Hillsborough. The town’s mayor pro tem Jenn Weaver followed up that news by announcing a run for mayor.

To this point, Weaver is the only candidate who has filed to run for the position. Three incumbents – Mark Bell, Matt Hughes and Evelyn Lloyd – have all filed to run for re-election to the town board and no challengers have filed through Wednesday.

In Chapel Hill, however, an unexpected development has led to a contested race for mayor.

Incumbent Pam Hemminger filed to run for a third term, but a change has now brought a challenger – Joshua James Levenson – to the race. Levenson initially filed to run for Chapel Hill Town Council, but records from the county and state Board of Elections show that Levenson will now be running for mayor instead.

There is a crowded field running for the four seats open on the Town Council. Jess Anderson, Nancy Oates and Michael Parker have all filed for re-election. Donna Bell currently holds the other seat up for election but has not publicly announced her plans for the fall. Sue Hunter, Tai Huynh and Renuka Soll have all filed to run for Town Council.

Mayor Lydia Lavelle is the only candidate who has filed as of end of business Wednesday for that office as she is seeking re-election in Carrboro. But, as in Chapel Hill, the race for town board looks to be competitive. Incumbents Damon Seils and Sammy Slade are seeking re-election to two of the three seats on the ballot. Bethany Chaney announced earlier this year she would not seek re-election. Matthew Clements, Steve Friedman and Susan Romaine have all also filed to seek election to the Carrboro Board of Aldermen.

A familiar name has also re-entered the fray for one of the seats on the ballot for the Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. Former board member Andrew Davidson filed to run for a seat on the board, joining incumbent Rani Dasi and newcomers Deon Temne and Louis Tortora. Those four candidates are the only ones as of this posting who have filed for the four open seats on the board this fall.

Filing runs through noon on Friday.

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