2022 election primary set for May. Here’s a look at the candidates for Orange County.
Orange County voters will fill a variety of local offices in 2022, from district attorney to sheriff and county commissioners, and send new representatives to Raleigh and Washington, D.C.
The filing period, which stalled in early December because of a court fight over state and federal redistricting maps, resumed Feb. 24 and ended on March 4.
The 2022 primary election has been rescheduled for May 17. That includes Carrboro’s special election to fill Mayor Damon Seils’ recently vacated Town Council seat. The winner will serve through 2023.
Most candidates who filed to run in December will be included on the May ballot. However, candidates who filed in December for the U.S. House District 6 race must withdraw by March 1 and resubmit their candidacy for District 4.
Local politicians at all levels got a rare chance to seek higher office this year after two longtime Orange County Democrats, U.S. House Rep. David Price and state Rep. Verla Insko, announced they were retiring. Democratic State Sen. Valerie Foushee is among those running for Price’s 4th District Congressional seat, and Democratic state House Rep. Graig Meyer is running for Foushee’s Senate seat.
That gives local officials a shot at the General Assembly, including former Chapel Hill Town Council member Allen Buansi, Hillsborough Town Board member Matt Hughes and Orange County Commissioners Chair Renee Price.
In the local election, there are no competitors for four Orange County commissioner seats. Voters will re-elect four commissioners in November — two in District 1, one in District 2 and one at large — save a write-in challenger.
Voters also will elect a new Orange-Chatham district attorney, replacing Jim Woodall, who announced his retirement in March 2021 after more than 15 years as district attorney. Other countywide races will elect a sheriff, register of deeds, clerk of Superior Court, and two Soil and Water Conservation District supervisors.
In the Orange County Schools district, the nonpartisan school board race will elect four members. Board member Hillary MacKenzie is not seeking re-election. One candidate, Garfield “Garen” McClure, announced March 14 that he was dropping out of the race; his name will still appear on the primary ballot.
Voter registration deadline: The last day to register to vote in the May primary is April 22, however, most one-stop early voting locations also offer same-day registration. Early primary voting runs April 28 to May 14. Absentee voting begins March 28, and the last day to request a mail-in ballot is May 10.
More information about the 2022 primary election and redistricting is available at ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election.
Orange County Board of Commissioners
District 1 (one seat, full term)
▪ Name: Jamezetta Bedford (incumbent)
Age: 63
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Vice chair, Orange County Commissioners, 2018-present; Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools board member, chair and vice chair, 2003-2015; Democratic Women of Orange County, 2016-present; Orange County ABC Board, 2016-18; Orange County Communities in Schools board
Website: jamezettaforcommissioner.org
Career: Certified Public Accountant with Coleman Huntoon & Brown, PLLC
District 1 (one seat, unexpired term)
▪ Name: Anna Richards
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Orange County commissioner, 2021-present; former president, Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP; 2019 North Carolina NAACP branch president of the year; 2020 Citizen of the Year, The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro; member, Campaign for Racial Equity in Our Schools; Black Business Alliance Leadership Council
Website: annafororange.com
Career: Retired Boeing finance operations executive
District 2 (one seat)
▪ Name: Earl McKee (incumbent)
Age: 69
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Orange County commissioners, 2010-present; Little River Presbyterian Church deacon and elder; Orange County Planning Board, Social Services Board, Triangle J Council of Governments, Fire Chief’s Association of Orange County; founding member of the Caldwell Fire Department; Jaycees; Orange County Farm Bureau
Website: earlmckee.com
Career: Farmer; Summit Engineering inspector
At-large District (one seat)
▪ Name: Sally Greene (incumbent)
Age: 66
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Commissioner since 2018. Chapel Hill Town Council, 2003-11, 2013-17; co-chair, Orange County Broadband Task Force; Board of Directors, Community Home Trust; founding member, WE Power; 2021 Commissioner of the Year, N.C. Association of County of Commissioners; Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness
Website: sallygreene.org
Career: Associate attorney, research and writing specialist, independent scholar
Carrboro Town Council special election
▪ Name: Aja Kelleher
Age: 55
Relevant experience: 2021 Carrboro Town Council candidate; Town of Carrboro Stormwater Advisory Commission; founded Barred Owl Neighborhood Coalition in Carrboro
Website: ajaforcarrboro.us
Career: Senior network engineer
▪ Name: Eliazar Posada
Age: 29
Relevant experience: Carrboro Planning Board, Carrboro Connects Comprehensive Plan Task Force, Chapel Hill Re-imagining Community Safety Task Force, and other town/county boards and commissions.
Website: facebook.com/EliazarPosadaNC
Career: Founder, Posada Strategy Consulting
Sheriff
▪ Name: Charles Blackwood
Age: 61
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Sheriff since 2014. First vice president and Executive Board member, N.C. Sheriffs’ Association; vice chair, N.C. Governor’s Crime Commission; vice chair, N.C. Criminal Justice Information Network; board member, N.C. Justice Academy Joint In-Service Training Committee; Sheriff’s Leadership Institute Curriculum Committee; SBI Center for the Analysis of Police Use of Force; Governor’s Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice; North Carolina Fully Autonomous Vehicle Committee; and Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services Board.
Also, Orange County Jail/Mental Health Workgroup; Orange County Behavioral Health Task Force; Orange County Racial Justice Task Force; Orange County Justice Advisory Council; The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the state’s highest civilian honor, in 2012; Dogwood Award for work combating the opioid epidemic in 2021.
Website: blackwoodforsheriff.org
Career: 40 years with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office
Orange-Chatham District Attorney
▪ Name: Jeff Nieman
Age: 45
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Created Outreach Court in 2012, North Carolina’s first therapeutic court for people experiencing homelessness; co-founder, N.C. Driver’s License Restoration Project; Teen Court judge, Volunteers for Youth diversion court program; member, Orange County NAACP Criminal Justice Committee; chair, Orange County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council; vice chair, Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness; active in the local fitness and civic group F3; Sunday School teacher, United Church of Chapel Hill; YMCA youth basketball coach
Website: www.jeffnieman.com
Career: Assistant district attorney for 16 years; adjunct profession, N.C. Central University School of Law
▪ Name: Kayley Taber
Age: 53
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: 25 years experience as a criminal justice advocate and innovator; NC State Bar board-certified as a criminal law specialist. Wrote, advocated and helped pass legislation on video voyeurism, child abuse and child trafficking. Instructor covering best practices in child and adult sexual assault investigation and prosecution; drafted child abuse manual for Conference of District Attorneys; UNC School of Law guest lecturer; helped to established mental health court in Orange County and expansion into Chatham County; member, Collaborative for At Risk Adults, Community Child Protection Team, Child Fatality Prevention Team and Child Abuse Multi-Disciplinary Team; created state’s first comprehensive Domestic Violence Prosecution program for Lee, Harnett and Johnston counties; foster dog caregiver for C.A.R.E, a local animal welfare organization.
Website: kayleytaber.com
Career: Orange-Chatham assistant district attorney, 1999-present; managing senior attorney, 2006-present; former American Red Cross Military Services caseworker and substance abuse counselor
Clerk of Superior Court
▪ Name: Mark Kleinschmidt (incumbent)
Age: 51
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Clerk of Superior Court, 2017-present; Chapel Hill mayor, 2009-15; Chapel Hill Town Council, 2001-09; board member, Kidzu Children’s Museum; board member, Carolina Pride Alum Network; board member, Eyes Ears Nose and Paws; board member, NC Guardianship Association
Website: facebook.com/MarkJKleinschmidt
Career: Clerk of Superior Court; attorney; adjunct law professor, UNC School of Law
Register of Deeds
One seat
▪ Name: Mark Chilton (incumbent)
Age: 51
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Orange County Register of Deeds, 2014-present; Carrboro mayor, 2005-13; Carrboro Board of Aldermen, 2003-05; Chapel Hill Town Council, 1991-97
Website: facebook.com/MayorChilton
Career: Orange County Register of Deeds; real estate attorney (inactive)
▪ Name: Penny Rich
Age: 62
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: former chair, Orange County Board of Commissioners, 2012-2020; former member, Chapel Hill Town Council; former member, OWASA Board of Directors; mentor, Kenan Scholars program; active member, Orange County Democratic Party; member, Democratic Women; Orange County representative, N.C. Democratic Party State Executive Committee
Website: pennyrichfororange.com
Career: Personal chef, catering company owner; director, Donor and Community Relations, Jewish Community Center in Durham; founding partner, WEPower in Hillsborough; Chapelboro columnist
NC District Court Judge District 15B
One seat
▪ Name: C. Todd Roper
Age: 59
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: member, Rotary International, Ruritan Club; member, South Fork Friends Assembly of Faith
Website: judgetoddroper.com
Career: District Court judge (appointed in 2020); attorney for 30 years in Orange and Chatham counties
NC Superior Court Judge District 15B
Seat 1 (one seat)
▪ Name: Alyson Grine
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Former assistant district attorney, Durham County District Attorney’s Office; former assistant public defender for Orange and Chatham counties; faculty member, N.C. Central University School of Law and UNC School of Government; board member and High School Youth Group Leader, Community Church of Chapel Hill
Website: judgealysongrine.com
Career: Orange County Superior Court judge (appointed in 2021)
Seat 2 (one seat)
▪ Name: Allen Baddour Jr. (incumbent)
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Senior Resident Superior Court Judge since 2020; Superior Court judge, 2006-present; former Chatham County managing assistant district attorney; attorney, 1997-2001; Orange County Criminal Justice Advisory Committee; Statewide Reentry Council Collaborative; Orange County Reentry Council; Orange County Racial Justice Task Force; Chief Justice’s Remote Proceedings Task Force; Chief Justice’s COVID-19 Task Force Technology and Innovations Work Group; NC Criminal Justice Information Network (since 2019); established the Pre-Sentence Investigation pilot program for smarter criminal sentencing; vice president, N.C. Bar Association‘s Board of Directors (2020); member, NCBA Membership Committee; member and former president (2015-16), Susie Sharp Inn of Court; Administrative Office of the Courts Judicial Forms Committee; member, 15-B Judicial District Executive Council since 2006; N.C. Conference of Superior Court Judges Pattern Jury Instruction Committee since 2012; N.C. Conference of Superior Court Judges Education Committee since 2012.
Website: judgebaddour.com
Career: Orange-Chatham Senior Resident Superior Court Judge
Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor
Two seats
Orange County Schools Board of Education
Four seats
▪ Name: Will Atherton
Age: 49
Relevant experience: Orange County Schools board member (former chair), 2018-present; board of directors, The Daniel Center for Math and Science Non-Profit Organization; member, Community and Technical Education (CTE) Committee (including as chair), Budget Committee (including as chair), Policy Committee (including as chair), Orange County Community Engagement Committee, Joint Leadership Committee of Orange County Schools, Chapel Hill Carrboro Schools and Board of Commissioners, and Liaison for Orange County Schools Business Advisory Board
Website: www.willforschools.com
Career: IT/technology
▪ Name: Penny Carter King
Relevant experience: Member, Orange County School Improvement Committee; former vice president and president, Grady A. Brown Elementary School PTA; member, First Baptist Church in Hillsborough.
Website: pennycarterking.wixsite.com/ocsb
Career: Senior Regional Clinical Research Associate, AbbVie Pharmaceuticals
▪ Name: Bethni Lee
Age: 44
Website: bethniforocsboard.com
Career: Homemaker, registered nurse
▪ Name: Garfield “Garen” McClure — dropped out of race March 14, 2022
▪ Name: Anne Purcell
Age: 68
Relevant experience: Lifelong Hillsborough resident and 30-year educator in the Orange County Schools, including as a teaching assistant, middle and high school teacher, assistant high school principal, director of student services. Retired as principal from C.W. Stanford Middle School (now Orange Middle School) in 2018.
Website: In progress
Career: Retired educator
▪ Name: André Richmond
Age: 42
Relevant experience: My Brothers and My Sisters Keeper Board of Orange County, SECU Advisory Board US 70 Branch, Orange County Department on Aging Intergenerational Senior Resource Team, Orange Partnership for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth Advisory Committee, and Volunteers for Youth Board; former member, Orange County/Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; head of security, Lattisville Grove Missionary Baptist Church
Website: andrerichmondforocs.com
Career: Orange County Sheriff’s Office captain, supervising school resource officers, training, professional standards, polygraph and community outreach divisions; Orange County Schools teacher’s aide, bus driver and assistant basketball coach from 1999-2001
▪ Name: Sarah Smylie
Age: 44
Relevant experience: Orange County School Board, 2018-present (vice chair); two-time chair, Student Achievement Committee; chair, Budget Committee; board liaison, Family Success Alliance; board liaison, Orange County Climate Council
Website: sarahsmylie.org
Career: Talent management advisor for education nonprofits; former teacher
▪ Name: Ashley Wheeler
NC House District 50
Name: Matt Hughes
Age: 30
Party affiliation: Democrat
Political experience: Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, 2018-present; second vice chair, N.C. Democratic Party; former chair, Orange County Democratic Party; member, Democratic National Committee; 2016 Orange County Commissioner candidate
Relevant experience: Board member, Orange County Partnership for Young Children, Hillsborough Historic Commission and the N.C. Human Relations Commission; Orange County Jury Commission
Website: matthughesnc.com
Career: Nonprofit professional
▪ Name: Charles Lopez
Age: 42
Party affiliation: Republican
Relevant experience: Chairman and Southeastern Regional Director, Republican National Hispanic Assembly of North Carolina, chair, NCGOP’s Hispanic Republican Coalition; 2021 candidate for City of Mebane City Council
Website: lopezfornc.com
Career: Human Resources professional and small-business entrepreneur
▪ Name: Renee Price
Age: 68
Party affiliation: Democrat
Political experience: Chair, member of Orange County Commissioners since 2012
Relevant experience: Orange County Commission for the Environment, Orange Unified Transportation Board, Orange County Historic Preservation Commission, Orange County Planning Board, and the Orange County Human Rights Commission
Website: reneeprice4nc.com
Career: Co-founder and project director of Free Spirit Freedom; Hillsborough Arts Council; professional experience in sustainable agriculture, forestry and development, city and regional planning, and environmental planning and design
NC House District 56
▪ Name: Allen Buansi
Age: 34
Party affiliation: Democrat
Political experience: Chapel Hill Town Council, 2017-21
Relevant experience: Former Legal Redress chair, Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP; former deputy director, UNC Center for Civil Rights; N.C. Department of Justice attorney; member, Local Government Retirement System Board of Trustees; State Advisory Board of Common Cause
Website: allenbuansi.com
Career: Assistant city attorney, Greensboro; civil rights attorney
▪ Name: Jonah Garson
Age: 35
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: Executive Committee member, Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP; chair, Orange County Democratic Party; State Executive Committee, N.C. Democratic Party; Voter Protection Director, 9th Congressional Re-do Election (2019); legislative staffer for various Democratic legislators, 2009-2011; field coordinator for dozens of Democratic legislative challengers (2018); Report Writer, Duke Center for Child and Family Policy; founding member, Team4NC; founding board member, New North Carolina Project and New North Carolina Project Foundation.
Website: jonahgarson.com
Career: Attorney at Chapel Hill-based Parry Law
NC Senate District 23
▪ Name: William “Bill” Cooke
Party affiliation: Republican
▪ Name: Jamie DeMent Holcomb
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: jamiefornc.com
Career: Small business owner and farmer; author; managing partner, N.C. Venture Capital Fund; interim executive director, Kidzu Children’s Museum
▪ Name: Graig Meyer
Age: 47
Party affiliation: Democrat
Relevant experience: State House Representative, 2013-present; member, Southern Regional Education Board; Equality NC Legislator of the Year; Green Tie Rising Star award, League of Conservation Voters; Legislator of the Year award, Young Democrats of North Carolina
Website: graigmeyer.com
Career: Partner, chief operating officer, The Equity Collaborative LLC; former coordinator, Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate Program
▪ Name: Landon Woods
Party affiliation: Republican
Website: facebook.com/landon.woods.3
Career: Owner, Revision Solar LLC
US House District 4
▪ Name: Clayton “Clay” Aiken
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: clayaiken.com
▪ Name: Nida Allam
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: nidaallam.com
▪ Name: Crystal Cavalier
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: crystalcavaliercongress.com
▪ Name: Valerie Foushee
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: valeriefoushee.com
▪ Name: Courtney Geels
Party affiliation: Republican
Website: courtneygeelsforcongress.com
▪ Name: Matthew “Matt” Grooms
Party affiliation: Democrat
▪ Name: Robert Thomas
Party affiliation: Republican
Website: robertthomasforcongress.com
▪ Name: Stephen Valentine
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: stephenjvalentineforcongress.com
▪ Name: Ashley Ward
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: ashleywardforcongress.com
▪ Name: Richard Watkins
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: richardlwatkins.com
This story was originally published December 7, 2021 at 11:12 AM with the headline "2022 election primary set for May. Here’s a look at the candidates for Orange County.."
