The competitive race for Cary Town Council’s District D seat may still not be over, with only 67 votes separating candidates Sarika Bansal and Rachel Jordan after polls closed November 7.
Although the race remains too close to call, Bansal appeared to have the edge in the unofficial results, with 2,746 votes to Jordan’s 2,679. Neither candidate has yet asked for a recount. Official election results are expected to be confirmed by the Wake County Board of Elections around November 17.
Jordan asked for a runoff election earlier this year after Bansal failed to surpass the 50 percent threshold of votes needed to avoid a runoff. The two each edged out incumbent Ryan Eades, who earned only 23.3 percent of the vote.
With Lori Bush retaining her at-large seat, however, incumbents will continue to hold the majority on the Cary Town Council. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht was re-elected in an unopposed race.
The political landscape also remains unchanged in Apex, where incumbent Terry Mahaffey and Arno Zegerman retained their seats on the town council. Mahaffey, who was first elected in 2019, was re-elected for an additional four years.
Zegerman, who was appointed to the town council earlier this year to replace Cheryl Stallings (who was elected to the county Board of Commissioners) was confirmed in his first-ever election, winning 22.6 percent of the vote. Apex Mayor Jacques K. Gilbert was re-elected in an unopposed race.
Growing towns, stagnant politics
In Wake Forest, incumbent Adam B. Wright held on to his seat on the Board of Commissioners, while newcomers Ben Clapsaddle and Faith Cross were elected to two open seats. The election results may usher in some pushback against the board’s current, pro-development policies.
Clapsaddle, a former candidate for the Wake County school board, has said he favors a “balanced” approach to growth, pushing for environmental preservation.
Cross, meanwhile, takes a thoroughly old-school approach to growth, saying the council’s recent approvals of high-density communities are destroying Wake Forest’s “small town charm.” She opposes the “urbanization” of the town and favors safeguards to protect existing single-family neighborhoods.
In Garner, town council incumbents Elmo Vance, Demian Dellinger, and Phil Matthews each held onto their seats for another term. The town does have a new mayor in Buddy Gupton, however. Gupton was elected in an unopposed race following the retirement of longtime mayor Ken Marshburn.
In Rolesville, incumbent mayor Ronnie Currin won re-election over challenger and public school teacher Scott Wagoner, with Currin winning 71.2 percent of the vote to Wagoner’s 27.8 percent. On the Rolesville Board of Commissioners, newcomers Michael Paul and Lenwood V. Long, Jr. narrowly edged out incumbent Michelle Medley in the race for two at-large seats.
Fuquay-Varina
Mayor: Blake Massengill (i, unopposed)
Board of Commissioners: Marilyn Gardner (i), William Harris (i), Charlie Adcock, Jason Ora Wunsch
Parks and Recreation bond: No (58.7 percent)
Holly Springs
Town Council: Chris Deshazor, Danielle Hewetson (i), Annie Drees
Parks and Recreation bond: Yes (63.4 percent)
Knightdale
Mayor: Jessica Day (i, unopposed)
Town Council: Stephen Morgan (i), Ben McDonald (i) (both unopposed)
Angier
Mayor: Bob Jusnes (i)
Board of Commissioners: Ashley Strickland, Sheveil Harmon
Morrisville
Town Council: Satish S. Garimella (i), Anne Robotti (i), Liz Johnson (i, unopposed)
Wendell
Mayor: Virginia Gray (i, unopposed)
Board of Commissioners: Joe DeLoach (i), Braxton Davis Honeycutt
Parks and Recreation facilities bonds: Yes (68 percent)
Transportation bonds: Yes (73 percent)
Zebulon
Board of Commissioners: Jessica Daniels Harrison (i), Shannon Baxter (i), Amber Batiste Davis
Follow Staff Writer Jasmine Gallup on Twitter or send an email to jgallup@indyweek.com. Comment on this story at backtalk@indyweek.com.
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