Democrats sweep New Hanover County school board seats
- The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners shifted to a Democratic majority.
- Voters approved a $320.5-million school bond referendum.
- Tim Merrick leads the race for the District 20 state House seat.
- The N.C. State Board of Elections will canvass official results on November 12.
The Democratic Party gained control of the New Hanover County Board of Education after winning all four available seats in the midterm elections on Nov. 4, 2026. Jerry Jones, Brittnei LaRue, Margie Gewirtzman, and Wendy Dale secured the victories.
The election results ousted Republican incumbents Pat Bradford and Josie Barnhart. This shift gives the Democratic Party a majority on the school board.
New Hanover County Board of Commissioners shifts to Democratic majority
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners shifted from a Republican-leaning to a Democratic-leaning majority following the election of Rob Zapple and LeShonda Wallace. Zapple maintained his seat with 56,259 votes.
Wallace won her seat by defeating Republican Chair LeAnn Pierce by 8,846 votes. The final vote counts included 51,063 for Wallace, 42,217 for Pierce, 39,369 for Richard M. Collier, and 5,299 for Bob Drach.
Local election outcomes include new Clerk of Superior Court and Senate seat
Democrat Jessica Bichler won the District 9 Senate seat with 48,310 votes, while Republican incumbent Michael Lee received 43,468 votes.
Roy Cooper won the U.S. Senate seat against Republican Michael Whatley. Port City Daily reported that in U.S. House District 7, Republican David Rouzer has 49.70% of the vote, while Democrat Kim Hardy has 49.33%.
Tim Merrick leads House District 20 race amid school board vacancy concerns
Merrick leads Republican Dane Scalise by 101 votes, with 22,054 votes for Merrick and 21,953 for Scalise.
StarNews reported that Merrick is expected to leave his school board position to join the N.C. House of Representatives.
Port City Daily reported that if Merrick's win is made official, the Democratic Party will select his replacement on the school board.
Voters approve $320.5-million school bond and constitutional amendments
Voters approved a $320.5-million school bond referendum. The county electorate also passed every constitutional amendment on the ballot.
High voter turnout marks midterm elections across the county
Fifty-four percent of the 190,897 registered voters in New Hanover County cast ballots during the midterm elections. The New Hanover County Democratic Party held an election night event at Savard Beer and Board.
State Board of Elections to canvass results on November 12
The N.C. State Board of Elections will canvass the election results on Friday, Nov. 12. The N.C. State Board of Elections will canvass the election results on Friday, Nov. 12.
Current board composition includes Judy Justice, David Perry, and new members
The New Hanover County Board of Education will hold a Democratic majority. The board will include the newly elected members alongside current members Judy Justice and David Perry.
David Perry serves on the board as its one Libertarian member.
Frequently Asked Questions
- VOTE 2026: Democrats take control of New Hanover County Board of Education (wect.com)
- VOTE 2026 Democrats take control of New Hanover ... (facebook.com)
- Election 2026 Results: New Hanover County projected wins indicate Democratic sweep | Port City Daily (portcitydaily.com)
- Democrats win four seats on New Hanover Board of Education (starnewsonline.com)
- Democrats (tavily.com)
- Hanover County Public Schools (Wikipedia — background) (en.wikipedia.org)
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