Knightdale’s town council unanimously appointed one of its own, mayor pro tem Jessica Day, to serve as the town’s mayor through the end of the year. A special election in December will determine who holds the office through 2023.

Day succeeds former mayor James Roberson, who Gov. Cooper appointed to  fill the seat left open by Rep. Darren Jackson, a Democrat, in the state’s House District 39. Jackson was appointed to serve on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. 

Day was elected to the town council in 2019. On the council, she has served as a liaison to the town’s Public Safety Advisory Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the Knightdale Chamber of Commerce, and the Triangle J Council of Governments. She recently facilitated a community policing forum in partnership with the Knightdale Police Department. 

“The Council looks forward to working with the new mayor,” said council member Stephen Morgan. “She will do an excellent job and we will be here to support her.”

Latatious Morris, chair of the town’s Land Use Review Board, will fill Day’s council seat. Mark Swan, who has served on the town council since 2013, will serve as mayor pro tem.

Roberson was elected to the Knightdale town council in 2007 and served two consecutive before he was elected as mayor in 2015.

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Jane Porter is Wake County editor of the INDY, covering Raleigh and other communities across Wake County. She first joined the staff in 2013 and is a former INDY intern, staff writer, and editor-in-chief, first joining the staff in 2013.