Municipal elections take place Tuesday across the state. Just a fraction of registered voters are expected to help decide mayoral races, city council candidacies and one significant school bond measure.
The education referendum is on the ballot in Johnston County. There voters will decide whether or not to allocate $64 million for a school construction bond. Johnston is the second fastest-growing district in the state and leaders say money is needed to provide for the additional student population. There is no organized opposition to the measure.
The big race in Durham is between incumbent mayor Bill Bell and challenger Sylvester Williams. These two squared off in 2011, with Williams earning less than 20-percent of the vote. Meanwhile in Fayetteville fiscal conservative Nat Roberston and job focused Val Applewhite, are trying to replace the outgoing mayor. Applewhite would become the city’s first black female leader if elected.
A close mayoral race is expected in Greensboro between challenger Nancy Vaughan and first-term incumbent Robbie Perkins. All eight of the city’s council seats are also on the ballot. Typically less than 20-percent of registered voters cast ballots in these odd-numbered years without any federal seats up for grabs. In some counties that figure dips into the single digits.