Halfway Through Filing Period, Only One Contested Race In OC So Far

****UPDATE: Incumbent Sammy Slade filed to run for re-election on Monday. He was the last remaining aldermen incumbent who had not filed.****

****SECOND UPDATE: Karen Stegman has joined the race in filing for a seat on the Chapel Hill Town Council. Stegman filed on Tuesday, July 18.****

Halfway through the filing period for this year’s local elections, there aren’t many contested elections yet in Orange County – but there’s still one week left to go.

The filing period began on Friday, July 7, with a flurry of initial activity, with numerous candidates officially throwing their hats in the ring. The pace has been slow since then, but there will be at least one contested local election.

That’s in Carrboro, where Mayor Lydia Lavelle will face at least one challenger – Mike Benson, the former owner of the Southern Rail. Lavelle is running for what would be a third term as mayor; two years ago she ran unopposed.

Also in Carrboro, two incumbents – Jacqueline Gist and Randee Haven-O’Donnell – have filed to run for reelection to the Board of Aldermen. Barbara Foushee has also filed to run. There are four seats up for election on the board this year, including the one that Michelle Johnson left vacant when she moved out of town in June. Whoever finishes fourth in the race for alderman will serve out the last two years of Johnson’s term.

In Chapel Hill, incumbent mayor Pam Hemminger has filed to run for reelection; she’s the only mayoral candidate so far. In the race for Town Council, incumbent Maria Palmer is running for reelection; she’ll be joined on the ballot by two challengers, attorney Allen Buansi and Rachel Schaevitz, the chair of Chapel Hill’s American Legion Task Force.

In Hillsborough, Mayor Tom Stevens is running for reelection, as are Town Board members Kathleen Ferguson and Jenn Weaver; they’re the only candidates so far.

And two incumbents, James Barrett and Joal Hall Broun, have filed to run for reelection to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board; there are three seats up for election this fall.

The filing period runs until Friday, July 21, at noon. If you’re interested in running for school board, the district is holding an info session this Tuesday, July 18, from 4-5 pm at Lincoln Center.