WILMINGTON — Former teacher Kristina Mercier has signaled her intent to seek the Democratic appointment for the New Hanover County Board of Education following the recent withdrawal of nominee Rick Southerland.
Mercier, who was disqualified from filing in December after not meeting North Carolina’s 90-day party affiliation requirement ahead of the candidate filing period, hopes to become one of four candidates on the Democratic general election ballot this November. The fourth vote-getter, Southerland, submitted his withdrawal papers last week, according to Democratic Party Chair Jill Hopman. His resignation came on the heels of a scandal that broke the day after the March 3 primary election.
READ MORE: Dem Party expands vetting after Southerland scandal, replacement process detailed
WHQR originally reported Southerland lives with a registered sex offender who also was involved in his campaign — information which had not been disclosed to local Democratic Party leadership or voters during the race. The revelation prompted criticism within the party and calls for Southerland to step aside, which he announced on March 5, the day after news spread.
Speaking with Port City Daily Friday, Mercier said her longtime involvement with the school district and passion for education motivated her to step into the race.
“I am not a politician at heart,” Mercier said. “I have the knowledge and I have the history, and that information would be great, and I should have a voice at the board. To do that, I needed to run and I just decided at this point it was worth a shot.”
Under North Carolina election law, the local party executive committee is responsible for naming a replacement nominee when a candidate withdraws after the primary. The New Hanover County Democratic Executive Committee, composed of elected precinct chairs and party officials from across the county, has opted to conduct what it describes as an “open search” rather than automatically elevating the next-highest finishers in the race — fifth-place candidate Margie Gewirtzman or sixth-place finisher Nelson Beaulieu.
Port City Daily reached out to both Gewirtzman and Beaulieu on whether they will vie for the nomination from the executive committee. Chair Hopman confirmed Gewirtzman’s interest and added two other people have reached out to fill the candidacy as well, though they remain unnamed at this time.
Beaulieu told Port City Daily he will support the party’s new nominee whomever it may be. Despite being asked by his supporters — he received 8,715 votes — to stay into the race, Beaulieu will not.
“My answer to these calls is simple. I have been considered … and rejected,” he wrote in an email. “The party made clear with its votes that it was interested in seeking a new way forward.”
Mercier emphasized her decision to throw her hat in the ring was made in consultation with others who also ran in the primary. She said the move was not about undermining fellow candidates, but rather allowing party members a chance to consider all potential voices for the seat.
“I’m not doing this because I don’t think [Gewirtzman] could be successful,” Mercier said. “I spoke with her when this became an option and she agreed that I should at least try. I’m trying now, at the very least, to let the Democrats hear my name and see if they are interested in what I can offer.”
Mercier brings decades of experience in public education, having taught in New Hanover and Pender counties at the elementary, middle, high school, and alternative school levels. She also served on the New Hanover County Association of Educators board from 2017 to 2022, including terms as president and secretary, representing teachers and advocating for education funding, smaller class sizes, and support for teacher assistants.
Mercier highlighted several priorities she would pursue if appointed, including revisiting challenged book policies, improving staffing levels to enhance safety and support for students, and planning for the district’s long-term growth.
“I would look to unban books,” Mercier said. “I’m a retired English teacher, and the very infrequent times somebody didn’t want their child reading a book … it was handled so easily and so quickly, there’s no need to ban.”
Mercier also said her work as a local realtor offers insight into the county’s growth and infrastructure needs, including where new schools may be needed as neighborhoods develop and as existing facilities face capacity pressures. In November 2025, the board approved a $320 million bond recommendation including funding for a new elementary school in the Riverlights community, part of a slate of projects aimed at addressing aging buildings and capacity pressures in parts of the district.
“I am aware specifically of the land in New Hanover County and how much developable land is left,” she said. “Schools can make people choose to settle in an area, or they can keep them away. You don’t want people to choose not to move here solely because they go, ‘Oh, the schools are horrible.’”
The New Hanover County Democratic Executive Committee is expected to review applications and select a replacement nominee during an emergency meeting in early April.
In response to the circumstances surrounding Southerland’s withdrawal, the committee has implemented a new vetting process for applicants. Candidates must now complete a notarized application, consent to a background check, and provide personal and professional references. Mercier confirmed she has been in contact with local party leadership regarding these new requirements but is still in the process of finalizing her paperwork.
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