Three races are now set for contested elections during this fall’s municipal campaigns.

Chapel Hill Town Council incumbent Ed Harrison officially filed to run for re-election on Tuesday at the Durham County Board of Elections office. Harrison lives in the Durham County portion of Chapel Hill.

Harrison’s filing means that there will be at least five candidates for the four open seats on the town council. Harrison joins incumbent Maria Palmer in running. The three newcomers who have filed are Allen Buansi, Rachel Schaevitz and Karen Stegman.

UPDATE: Carl Schuler filed to run for Chapel Hill Town Council on Thursday.

Incumbents George Cianciolo and Sally Greene have not announced their plans for this fall and have not officially filed for re-election. While Mayor Pam Hemminger has filed to run for a second term, no challengers have filed as of Wednesday afternoon.

Two more candidates filed for positions on the Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. With three seats open this fall, incumbents James Barrett and Joal Hall Broun had previously filed. They were joined on Wednesday by Calvin Deutschbein and Mary Ann Wolf.

The other contended race in Orange County is for Carrboro Mayor. Incumbent Lydia Lavelle is running for her third term. Mike Benson has filed to challenge Lavelle.

Three incumbents – Jacquelyn Gist, Randy Haven-O’Donnell and Sammy Slade – and one newcomer – Barbara Foushee – have filed for the four seats on the Carrboro Board of Alderman. The candidate who receives the fourth most votes in November will fill the unexpired term of Michelle Johnson, who vacated her spot on the board when she moved earlier this year.

Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens and Board of Commission members Kathleen Ferguson and Jenn Weaver are all incumbents and have all filed to run for re-election. No challengers have filed as of this posting.

The filing period is open until noon on Friday, July 21.

Related Stories
‹
The Filing Period for 2023 Local Elections Is Now Finished. Who Is Running?
The deadline for candidates to file for 2023 local elections across North Carolina has now passed. As of 12 p.m. on Friday, the ballots are now set for the fall municipal cycle. Over the course of two weeks, communities in Orange, Chatham and Durham counties saw a mix of residents launch campaigns or enter their […]
Record Set for Early Voting in Orange County Municipal Elections
Orange County residents turned out in record number to early vote in the municipal election ahead of Election Day on Tuesday. The county Board of Elections reports that 4,428 votes were cast during the early voting period from October 19 through November 4. It took a strong finish to break the previous odd-year early voting […]
Labor Day to Affect Local Government Services Around Orange County Community (2025)
Monday marks the observance of Labor Day, which is meant to celebrate the contribution of workers and employees across the United States. With that, the local governments in Orange County will be giving many of their employees the day off, which will affect certain local government services. Ahead of the holiday on Monday, September 1, […]
Orange County Arts Community Set for Uproar Festival Despite Recent Flood Damage
Orange County's Uproar Festival of Public Art returns on Aug. 1 – and it comes as the arts community recovers from catastrophic flooding.
'We Need Help': Orange County Flood Victims Beginning to Pick Up the Pieces
Orange County residents whose homes were flooded during Sunday's storm shared their emotions and what help they need in the aftermath.
Celebration of July 4 to Alter Local Government Services in Orange County
The celebration of Independence Day on Friday, July 4 will affect several local government services in and around Orange County. Here’s a look at what will and won’t be happening that week: Town of Chapel Hill All Chapel Hill administrative offices will be closed Friday. Residential trash pickup will not be affected. Commercial trash will […]
Memorial Day to Affect Local Government Services Around Orange County (2025)
The observation of Memorial Day on Monday, May 26 will affect multiple local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s a complete list of which services in which towns will be moved due to the holiday: Town of Chapel Hill Memorial Day is an official town holiday. Most town and other administrative offices will […]
Uproar Festival of Public Art to Return to Orange County in August
The Uproar Festival of Public Art returns this August to showcase large-scale, bold works of art outdoors in Orange County.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to Affect Local Government Services (2025)
The observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 20 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect this year: Town of Chapel Hill Town offices will be closed on Monday. Residential trash normally collected on Monday will be collected on Wednesday, January 22. Curbside recycling […]
Christmas Holiday to Affect Local Government Services in Orange County (2024)
The Christmas holiday will affect several local government services. Here’s a rundown of what Orange County residents can expect.
›