Karen Stegman won the Democratic primary for the open at-large seat on the Orange County Board of Commissioners, while District 1 incumbent Jamezetta Bedford appears poised for re-election on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the closest race of the night unfolded in District 2, where Beth Bronson holds a slim lead over long-time Commissioner Earl McKee.
With all precincts reported, Bronson held a 32-vote lead (5,478 votes, 50.15%) over McKee (5,446, 49.85%) — squarely putting the race into recount territory. Bronson, who is a first-time candidate and senior clinical research coordinator, campaigned on bringing a fresh perspective as a young homeowner to the Board of County Commissioners in the primary, as McKee ran to earn a fifth term serving rural Orange County.
Bronson said McKee called her Tuesday night to congratulate her and share his support for her to become a county commissioner if the results hold. She said she aims to honor his legacy of service while carrying momentum into the November general election.
“I am looking forward to engaging with my community…I’m looking forward to speaking with everybody who has opinions about where we’re headed and what this means for the future of Orange County,” Bronson told 97.9 The Hill on Tuesday. “Earl and I really built our campaigns on many similar principles. We’re rooted in a shared desire to serve public interests, and I have nothing but the utmost respect for Commissioner McKee, his legacy, and his desire to make an Orange County that works for everyone.”
Bronson was inspired to run after becoming a young homeowner in the Cheeks community and diving deeper into how county zoning and taxes affected her. She began volunteering on the Planning Advisory Board and the Board of Adjustments, and joined the race for District 2 with the goal of ushering in controlled growth while making local government processes more accessible to residents.
“I quickly realized this isn’t something only homeowners should experience…anyone who is a resident should feel compelled to have their voice heard,” Bronson said. “Throughout this race, I’ve focused on sustainable long-term growth, environmental protections, transparent governance and meaningful community engagement. And while community engagement can sound like a line item on a policy document, it’s not — it’s the foundation, it’s how trust is built, and it’s how people feel heard. And these priorities remain critical to the future of my campaign to represent Orange County.”
In the District 1 race, which sees only Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents vote, incumbent Democrat Jamezetta Bedford finished with more than 57% of the vote compared to former Chapel Hill Town Council member María Palmer (42.8%). With no Republican candidates running in the District 1 race, Bedford will effectively earn a third term on the board after first joining the board in 2018.
“I am honored to get to represent District 1, and all county residents, for another term on the [board],” Bedford told Chapelboro. “Having lost a previous election, I truly know that big disappointment, and so thanks and congratulations to all of the candidates. I am grateful that as grandmothers, María and I focused on issues and a friendly race to set a good example.”
The unofficial county in the at-large race sees Stegman holds more than 77% of the vote over Adam Beeman (22%), a comfortable margin that indicates she will likely return to elected office and join the county level of government after departing the Chapel Hill Town Council in 2025.
“It’s really gratifying, it’s really exciting…it’s never ever anything I take for granted, and I’m so grateful to the voters of Orange County for their support and putting their trust in me,” Stegman said to 97.9 The Hill.
Stegman said despite her lifelong Chapel Hill roots, she is not running to make the county or government more like the town — she is motivated to simply help move Orange County forward for all residents. And, she added, there is ample opportunity to do so.
“I think we have a lot more in common than we acknowledge sometimes, and we have a lot shared values,” Stegman said. “I want to listen, bring folks together, and find those common threads regardless of what’s going on in the rest of the state, the country and the world.
“I feel like, unfortunately,” the former town councilor added, “there is a perception of leaders in Chapel Hill and Carrboro not listening to the concerns of the whole county. And I’m very committed to [doing] that, so I just look forward to more opportunities to listen and learn and leading into the general election in November.”
Stegman will face Republican Jeffrey Hoagland this fall to officially secure the at-large seat on the Board of County Commissioners, while the winning District 2 Democrat will face Republican Louis D. Capitanio on the ballot in November. The general election winners will take their oath of office at the end of 2026 to join District 1 Commissioners Jean Hamilton and Marilyn Carter, District 2 Commissioner Phyllis Portie-Ascott and At-Large Commissioner Amy Fowler — who are each just more than one year into their own four-year terms on the board.
Additional results from Tuesday night can be found on Chapelboro’s 2026 Primary Election Results page.
Featured photo via Stegman for Orange.
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