Bonitz, Farrell Re-Elected as Pittsboro Commissioners; Foley 1st Time Winner

Pittsboro has made its decision in the race for the Board of Commissioners, in which three seats were up for grabs.

Incumbents John Bonitz and J.A. Farrell were both re-elected to their positions Tuesday night, each earning close to a quarter of the vote in the town of Pittsboro’s lone precinct. Bonitz led the field with 26.56 percent of the vote, approximately two percentage points in front of Farrell. Joining both of them will be first-time commissioner John Foley, who earned 21.44 percent of the vote.

Bonitz, Farrell and Foley all comfortably defeated challengers Allen Wilson, C.P. Stewart and Kali Korey. Korey filed to run but did not participate in any campaign events.

With the victory, Bonitz — whose day job is with the NC Clean Energy Technology Center in Raleigh — will serve his third term on the board, while retired business owner Farrell is set to serve his fourth as a commissioner.

Foley, a real estate agent, is taking over the vacant seat left by former town commissioner Kyle Shipp, who was elected mayor on Tuesday in an unopposed race. He shared a statement on Wednesday with Chapelboro thanking the voters who participated in the election.

“Their concerns were clear: safe water, affordable homes for all and smart growth,” said Foley. “With billions of dollars of high tech industries breaking ground literally 20 minutes from downtown Pittsboro, the road ahead will be challenging. I am comforted in knowing that with our newly elected Town Commissioners, and an aggressive and competent staff here in Pittsboro we have assembled a team up to that challenge. To the people of Pittsboro, I have listened to your concerns and will do my best for our beautiful community.”

Bonitz, Farrell and Foley will each be sworn in to join mayor pro tem Pamela Baldwin and fellow commissioner James Vose on the board before the end of 2023.

Local election results from races in Orange and Chatham County can be found here.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

‹

Pittsboro Commissioners Vote to End Flock Safety Contract Early, Citing Community Opposition

Pittsboro elected officials voted on Monday to end its contract with Flock Safety, following longstanding backlash from residents about privacy concerns related to the license-plate cameras.

'24/7 Surveillance': Residents Voice Privacy Concerns for Pittsboro's Flock License-Plate Cameras

Some Chatham County residents are speaking out against Pittsboro’s use of Flock license-plate cameras, citing privacy concerns. The surveillance technology by Flock Safety largely aims to help local police identify suspects and locate missing persons by taking still images of a vehicle’s “distinguishing features,” including the license plate. Although it has been two years since […]

Local Government Meetings: February 9-13, 2025

This week in local government: residents in Chatham County push back against Flock license-plate cameras and AI data centers.

Candace Hunziker, Tiana Thurber Elected to Pittsboro Board of Commissioners

Candace Hunziker and Tiana Thurber earned election to the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners amid a crowded field during Tuesday night's local races.

2025 Candidate Introductions: Pittsboro Municipal Races

No local race has more questions surrounding it than the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners election and its eight first-time candidates.

Pittsboro Native, Former Football Player Tobais Palmer Details His Campaign for Town Commissioner Seat

Tobais Palmer, who grew up in Pittsboro during the 1990s, has seen many changes around town. Now, he is running to be an elected official.

Pittsboro Approves Mixed-Use Projects Off U.S. 64 with 900+ Housing Units and New Fire Station Site

As Pittsboro continues to plan for development, commissioners approved two conditional re-zonings for undeveloped tracts near Chatham Park.

Pittsboro Earns 'Main Street Community' Designation; SoCo Project, Architects Pick Up Awards

The Town of Pittsboro restored its designation as a NC Main Street Community for 2024 after scaling up from a "small town" status in 2023.

Reeves Farm Project Near Downtown Pittsboro Aims to Expand Connectivity and Town Character

Pittsboro's Board of Commissioners approved the Reeves Farm development project in November, which will build housing on a 500-acre property.

Bonitz, Farrell Re-Elected as Pittsboro Commissioners; Foley 1st Time Winner

Pittsboro has made its decision in the race for the Board of Commissioners, in which three seats were up for grabs. Incumbents John Bonitz and J.A. Farrell were both re-elected to their positions Tuesday night, each earning close to a quarter of the vote in the town of Pittsboro’s lone precinct. Bonitz led the field […]

›