During this local election season, 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro spoke with candidates for races representing Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough. Each answered the same set of questions regarding their decision to run for elected office, their background in the community and what they wish for residents to think of when voting this fall. Their answers (lightly edited for clarity and brevity) are shared here, as well as links to their respective campaign websites or pages. If a candidate did not respond or chose not to speak with 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro, it will be designated with no audio. The order of candidates below is in the alphabetical order of their last names.
Mayor of Chapel Hill
Mayor Pam Hemminger has served Chapel Hill across four terms, and in 2023 the town will see a head-to-head competition between candidates Adam Searing and Jess Anderson to put a fresh face in the office. Anderson’s second four-year term on the town council is ending, while Searing has two years left in his first term on the elected body.
Here are the questions each candidate was asked:
Why were you inspired to join this race and make the jump from town council to mayor?
What are the top three issues your campaign is built on? (Concise response, then please expand)
What do you believe is the town’s responsibility in addressing an affordable housing shortage and lack of housing inventory? If elected, how would you plan to help address that?
Which of the town’s approaches to addressing climate change at the local level do you support, and what areas would you like to see more attention toward?
Beyond what we’ve discussed… what is something you believe the town has done well in the last four years, and what is something you would have done differently?
When voters see your name on the ballot, what do you want them to think of?
The four available seats of Chapel Hill’s town council are seeing major competition in 2023’s election. Of sitting members Jessica Anderson, Tai Huynh, Michael Parker and Amy Ryan, only Ryan is on the ballot for re-election. Nine other candidates have tossed their respective hats into the ring alongside Ryan, and 97.9 The Hill spoke with each of them.
Here are the questions each candidate was asked:
Why were you inspired to join this year’s race?
What are the top three issues your campaign is built on?
What do you believe is Chapel Hill’s responsibility in address not only an affordable housing shortage, but a lack of housing inventory locally? If elected, how would you plan to address that?
Which of the town’s recent approaches to addressing climate change do you support? What is an area you believe needs more attention?
What do you believe the town council has done well the last four years? What would you have done differently?
When voters see your name on the ballot, what do you want them to think of?
Early voting in Orange County runs from Thursday, October 19, through Saturday, November 4. Election Day will be Tuesday, November 7. For more election coverage and candidate introductions, visit Chapelboro’s Local Election Coverage page.
Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.
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