CARRBORO- Holding a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation ofAlderman Dan Coleman could cost the Town of Carrboro up to $18,000.

“It’s worth it, but just barely,” said Mayor Mark Chilton.

By a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the board of aldermen agreed to host the election on March 19, and open the candidate filing period for two weeks from February 1 though February 15. In an effort to keep costs down, early voting will only be available at the Board of Elections in Hillsborough.

The board does not have the option of appointing a new member, due to changes in the town charter put in place after the board’s last appointment, which happened to be that of Dan Coleman, in 2006.

That process proved so controversial that leaders were prompted to change the town charter to remove the option of board appointments. Alderwoman Jacquie Gist recalled serving on the board at the time.

“Our last appointment was really so contentious that it took a while for the community to heal afterward, and out of that came the commitment from this board that voters should decide who’s representing them,” said Gist.

Now vacancies must be filled by election, either during the general election in November, or during a special election held in the spring.

But Chilton said, seven years later, the decision to remove the appointment option seems shortsighted.

“I’m beginning to think it may be one of the silliest decisions I ever made, but it is the decision I made,” said Chilton. “I think we need to move forward with it.”

This will be Carrboro’s first special election under the new rules, but it might also be its last. Even as they agreed to set a date, board members called to reevaluate the appointment process.

“Now that a vacancy has actually arisen, I think a lot of us are wondering whether it is really worth spending thousands of taxpayer dollars on filling a seat through democracy, or whether it’s better to make a short term appointment and then let the regular election process fill it for the future,” said Chilton.

The board could ask the General Assembly to amend the town charter again to reinstate the appointment option, but board members agreed they would carry through with the special election before launching that process.

Whoever is elected to the seat will serve the remainder of Coleman’s term, which ends in 2015. So far, only Carrboro Planning Board Chair Damon Seils has announced he plans to run.

Related Stories
‹
Carrboro Aldermen To Pick Election or Appointment December 10
Carrboro Aldermen voted unanimously Tuesday to schedule a special session on December 10 to decide how to fill the upcoming vacancy on the board.
Policing, Flags On Agenda For Tuesday Town, County Meetings
Carrboro aldermen will discuss equity in policing; county commissioners will consider restrictions on the raising of giant flags (Confederate or otherwise).
Filing for Carrboro Town Council's Special Election Is Over. Who is Running?
As of noon on Friday, the filing period for the upcoming special election in Carrboro officially closed. Despite being an election cycle focused on federal and statewide elections, the Carrboro Town Council is holding a special election to fill a seat with an unfinished term — which will have one year left on it once someone […]
Disability Rights, Transit Advocate Isaac Woolsey Files to Run for Carrboro Town Council
Isaac Woolsey, a disability rights activist and self-described autistic comedian, filed to run for the open seat in Carrboro.
'My Community, My Work': Cristóbal Palmer Enters Carrboro Town Council Special Election
Cristóbal Palmer — the director for a digital library at UNC and a Carrboro native — entered the special election for town council on Friday.
Voters in Ohio Reject GOP-Backed Proposal That Would Have Made It Tougher To Protect Abortion Rights
Written by JULIE CARR SMYTH and SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON Ohio voters resoundingly rejected a Republican-backed measure that would have made it more difficult to change the state’s constitution, setting up a fall campaign that will become the nation’s latest referendum on abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned nationwide protections last year. The defeat of […]
5 Applicants to Orange County Commissioners Vacancy Are Revealed
The Board of Orange County Commissioners is looking to fill a vacancy on its board for the second time in three years. After the election of its chair to the state legislature, the county took applications from District 2 residents to get a pool of candidates. Among the five people aiming to replace Renée Price […]
Candidate Intros: Carrboro Town Council (1 Seat)
During this local election season, 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro spoke with candidates for each of the races in 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. […]
Orange County: Governor Cooper, Delta Variant Guidance and Board Applicants
Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners Renee Price joins 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Wednesday, July 21. Price shares initial reactions to Governor Roy Cooper's press conference a new COVID-19 guidance for schools this fall. Plus, with applicants finalized, she details the process for filling a vacancy on the Board of Commissioners.
Orange County: Recapping the NACo Conference + BOCC Vacancy
Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Renee Price joins 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell and shares her experience at the National Association of Counties conference the last few days. Price details some main topics local governments across the country are discussing. Plus: time is running out to apply for the vacancy on the Board of County Commissioners!
›