The mayor of Carrboro is officially seeking a second term.

Barbara Foushee launched her re-election campaign on Thursday, announcing her bid to lead the town for another two years and continue building upon the work she has helped oversee within the town government.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the Carrboro community for the past year and a half as mayor, and I look forward to doing more if I’m re-elected to serve as Mayor,” Foushee said in the announcement. “I want to keep a seat at the local government table to continue that work.”

A senior technologist and clinical laboratory professional by trade, Foushee has held public office in Carrboro since 2017 when she first earned election to the town council. After serving for one-and-a-half terms, she ran for mayor when Damon Seils chose not to seek re-election in 2023. After running unopposed, Foushee became the first Black woman to hold the mayoral title in Carrboro and just the second Black leader in the role. During her first term, the town government hired its newest town manager and town clerk, embarked on reforming its land use ordinance, spearheaded a lawsuit challenging Duke Energy’s slower transition to clean energy practices, and earned recognition as an All-America City finalist for 2025.

On her campaign website, Foushee said her platform largely remains unchanged from her stints as an elected official. Citing her belief that “coming together could not be more important than it is right now,” she said she aims to continue building inclusive engagement practices and advocating for equitable outcomes for Carrboro residents. Continuing to address affordable housing needs, build resilience to climate change and encourage civic participation are also among the sitting mayor’s key policy goals.

“A lot has been accomplished, but we can do more as I continue to hear from community members about ongoing concerns and ways that we can improve our community,” said Foushee. “Ranking high on the list are the town’s comprehensive plan implementation, rewriting the town’s land use ordinance, and housing access and affordability efforts, just to name a few. At the core of my service are people, and my service is certainly guided by hearing community voices.”

As of Thursday, no other candidates have publicly launched a campaign for the Carrboro mayoral election set for this fall. The filing period for the 2025 municipal election cycle in North Carolina begins the morning of Monday, July 7 and will run through 12 p.m. of Friday, July 18. Election Day will be Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Featured photo via Barbara Foushee For Mayor of Carrboro

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