GOVERNMENT
By Adam Powell
Correspondent
ORANGE COUNTY — Candidate filing for the spring 2026 primary season began on Monday, Dec. 1, and will run through Friday, Dec. 19. Numerous candidates have announced plans to run for a variety of local, statewide and national seats.
Take a closer look at the incumbent and newcomer candidates throughout Orange County who have filed for offices up for grabs in 2026, beginning with the spring primaries on March 3.
Two incumbents, one former Chapel Hill town council member file for Orange County Commissioner
Two incumbent members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners — Jamezetta Bedford and Earl McKee — announced their plans to run for re-election. Bedford, first elected in 2018 and a three-year chair of the board, is seeking a third term.
“I’m excited to announce I am running for re-election to the Board of Orange County Commissioners District 1 seat to ensure a safe, healthy, thriving Orange County that’s inclusive and sustainable,” Bedford said in a Dec. 1 press release.
Bedford highlighted her experience on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, her work as a CPA, and her lived experience as a mother and grandmother within the CHCCS system, noting that her seven years as a commissioner — including service as vice chair and chair — have deepened her understanding of county systems.
McKee, first elected in 2010, is seeking a fifth term. He emphasized broadband wireless expansion, tax relief for seniors, enhanced emergency and law enforcement services, and improved school proficiency as top priorities.
“Filed paperwork today for the District 2 position on the Orange County Board of Commissioners,” McKee posted on Facebook on Dec. 1. “I have been honored to represent the residents of District 2 and ask your support for another term.”
McKee said he intends to complete the broadband expansion project, continue supporting the county’s dual public school systems, and support emergency response agencies. He also plans to explore expanding the Homestead exemption for residents over age 65.
“Securing a solution for the ever increasing tax burden on our residents living on fixed incomes as they age is critical if we are to continue to view ourselves as a caring and inclusive community,” he wrote.
Also filing for County Commissioner is Karen Stegman, who recently completed two terms on the Chapel Hill Town Council. She is running for an at-large seat on the board.
“My professional work has also always served the public interest — from my experience with the Orange County Family Resource Centers to my work improving health care in developing countries and my recent work in public health and renewable energy,” Stegman wrote on her campaign website. “Whether in my work or my public service, I listen first and partner with communities to find solutions together.”
With incumbent Sally Greene choosing not to file for re-election, an at-large seat is open in 2026.
Incumbent sheriff, clerk of court, school board members file
Two countywide incumbents — Sheriff Charles Blackwood and Clerk of Superior Court Mark Kleinschmidt — have filed for re-election. David Labarre has also filed for Orange County Sheriff.
Blackwood, first elected in 2014, is seeking a fourth term as sheriff.
“Serving Orange County has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I remain fully committed to protecting this community,” Blackwood said on Facebook. “I’m grateful for the trust you’ve placed in me, and I look forward to the opportunity to keep serving with integrity, transparency, and dedication.”
Labarre has over two decades of law enforcement experience, including several years as a member of the Durham County Sheriff’s Office.
Kleinschmidt, first elected in 2018, is seeking a third term.
“Yesterday I took the short walk from the courthouse to the Orange County Board of Elections. There I filed for the opportunity to serve my third term as your Clerk of Superior Court and Judge of Probate,” he posted.
He highlighted improvements in electronic court systems, efforts to maintain judicial access during the pandemic, and reforms in guardianship law.
Two incumbents on the Orange County Board of Education — Anne Purcell and Will Atherton — have filed for re-election. Both were first elected in 2022 and are seeking second terms.
Statewide incumbent candidates declare for 2026 spring primaries
U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee, representing North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District, is running for a third term. As of Dec. 3, she had no declared challengers in either party.
Two additional Democratic incumbents — Renee Price and Allen Buansi — are seeking re-election to the North Carolina House of Representatives. Price is running for a third term in District 50, while Buansi is running for a third term in District 56.
North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls, first elected in 2018, has filed for re-election to a second eight-year term on the state’s highest court.
Two incumbents on the North Carolina Court of Appeals — Toby Hampson and John Arrowood — have filed for re-election. Three additional candidates, Matt Smith, James Whalen and Christine Walczyk, have also filed.
In all, three seats are open on the Court of Appeals heading into the 2026 election cycle: the seats held by Hampson and Arrowood, and Seat 3, which is being vacated by Judge Allegra Collins.
Adam Powell has been a correspondent for The Local Reporter since 2023. A 2001 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Powell has served as managing editor of multiple local publications, including the News of Orange County, the Mebane Enterprise, the Caswell Messenger, and the ACC Sports Journal. Powell has won more than 20 North Carolina Press Association Awards throughout his journalism career for Excellence in Education Reporting, Excellence in Sports Columns and Features, and Excellence in Video Production. He has also been recognized by the North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) for Excellence in Education Writing and for his newsletters representing Rockingham County Schools and the North Carolina Cyber Academy. The author of four books. Adam currently resides in Mebane with his wife Julie and children Colt and Jenna. This reporter can be reached at:Information@TheLocal Reporter.press
Be the first to comment on "Candidates Begin Filing for Local, Statewide Elections"