SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — In the last two months, Port City Daily has been publishing individual candidate interviews ahead of the municipal elections taking place across the tri-county region on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
READ MORE: Wave Transit offers free rides on Election Day
ALSO: NAACP wants answers on voter ID law, judge grants partial request
The goal is to help inform readers on where candidates stand on issues facing the southeastern North Carolina. PCD asked all candidates to fill out a questionnaire regarding their top three concerns facing their respective municipality, as well as provide feedback on topics such as balancing growth and infrastructure, development and climate change impacts, traffic and for the beach towns, renourishment.
Not everyone responded, but for those who did, below are links to their Q&As.
The voter guide is broken up by county and then municipalities. All names in blue will link to their respective questionnaire; if it’s not blue, the candidate did not respond to Port City Daily’s request. The news outlet reached out to candidates three times during election season for participation.
Port City Daily, WECT and WHQR also held candidate forums for both the City of Wilmington and Carolina and Kure beaches in October. A roundup of the forums were published, with City of Wilmington available to read here and beaches featured here; links to watch the forums are also provided in the articles. Wrightsville Beach declined to participate in the forum.
Early voting closed Saturday, Nov. 4. Ballots can be cast on Election Day, when polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Anyone in line at 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Voters can check their precinct and voter registration here. To see a sample ballot for the upcoming election, fill in info here.
A photo ID — drivers license, passport, military ID — is now required to cast a ballot. Voters without an ID must fill out an exception form and list a “reasonable impediment,” such as lack of transportation, disability or illness, lack of birth certificate or other documents needed to obtain ID, before voting. More information can be found on the state board of elections website.
Port City Daily dropped the paywall on all election coverage. Candidates’ responses are printed in full and only edited for grammatical and spelling errors.
NEW HANOVER COUNTY
Carolina Beach Mayor
Michelle R. Alberda
Lynn Barbee (incumbent)
Tyler McDowell
Chad Kirk
Carolina Beach Council
Jay Healy (incumbent)
Debra LeCompte (incumbent)
Danny McLaughlin
Wilmington Mayor
Bill Saffo (incumbent)
Wilmington City Council
Neil Anderson (incumbent)
Kathryn Bruner
Kevin Spears (incumbent)
Kure Beach Mayor
Kure Beach Commissioners
David Heglar (incumbent)
Dennis Panicali (incumbent)
Wrightsville Beach Mayor
Darryl Mills (incumbent)
Wrightsville Beach Alderman
Jeff D. DeGroote
Zeke Partin
BRUNSWICK COUNTY
Port City Daily only reached out to the municipalities within its immediate coverage area.
Bald Head Island Council
Jerry Maggio (incumbent)
Virginia “Ginnie” White (incumbent)
Belville Mayor
Mike Allen (incumbent)
Belville Commissioner
Charles “Chuck” Bost (incumbent)
Morgan R. Mehler (incumbent)
Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer H2GO Commissioner
Steve Hosmer (incumbent)
Barry Laub (incumbent)
Leland Mayor
Brenda Bozeman (incumbent)
Leland Council
Bob Campbell (incumbent)
Veronica A. Carter (incumbent)
Navassa Commissioners
Jerry Merrick (incumbent) (District 1)
LaTonyia Lowe (District 2)
William (Buddy) Ballard (District 3)
Oak Island Council
Bill Craft Jr. (incumbent)
Niki Cutler
Mark J. Dolak, Jr.
Randy Moffitt
Southport Mayor
Rich Alt
Joe Pat Hatem (incumbent)
Southport Board of Alderman
Thomas Lombardi (incumbent) (Ward 1)
Marc Spencer (Ward 1)
John Allen (incumbent) (Ward 2)
Bonnie L. Bray (Ward 2)
Lowe Davis (incumbent) (Ward 2)
PENDER COUNTY
Port City Daily only reached out to the municipalities within its immediate coverage area.
Burgaw Commissioner
Vernon Harrell (incumbent)
William E. George III (incumbent)
Michael Pearsall
Surf City Mayor
Teresa Batts (incumbent)
Marc Caldwell
Surf City Council
William (Buddy) Fowler (incumbent)
Donald Helms (incumbent)
Cheryl Crane Hunter
John Koloski (incumbent)
Topsail Beach Mayor
Steve Smith (incumbent)
Topsail Beach Commissioners
Joe Bell (incumbent)
John Gunter (incumbent)
Tips or comments? Email info@localdailymedia.com.
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
