Cary Town Council elections were held Oct. 10. Candidates ran for positions such as mayor, council representative at-large and their respective district’s council member role, as Cary residents over the age of 18 voted for their legislators.
Since 2007, Mayor Harold Weinbrecht served as the mayor of Cary, North Carolina. In the most recent town council election, Weinbrecht received almost 13,000 votes, securing his fourth term in the position. His party affiliation is currently independent.
Lori Bush, at-large council member, received nearly 11,000 votes to represent Cary as the at-large representative. She was elected to the Cary Town Council in 2011. A registered Democrat, she oversaw the Preston Village Homeowners Association for six years prior to running for office.
In an interview with the GH Falcon, Bush explained her original motivations in getting involved with local politics. “I ran for office because in the early 2000’s when [the road] Davis Drive was originally two lanes and it was being widened poorly,” Bush said. “[At the time] I lived in a neighborhood that was basically most of that where they were widening and the town wasn’t really taking into account what the neighborhood needed and so I started working with the town. Then I was like okay, I want to be more involved in this whole process.”
The at-large council member hopes to make housing more affordable in Cary so that its citizens can “live in the place they serve”. She is also interested in increasing environmentally-conscious efforts within the community by implementing solar panels on new buildings and adding electrical vehicle chargers where we can and ensuring that water stays clean. Additional issues she is passionate about include biking infrastructure and road safety throughout Cary.
Council member Michelle Craig received almost 3,000 votes to represent Cary’s District B, winning over incumbent Don Frantz by roughly 1,000 votes. Her party affiliation is currently Democratic. She aims to make Cary more affordable, equitable and sustainable.
When asked why she believes that she can properly represent her constituents in her position, council member Craig said, “As a public school teacher in District B, I have embraced the diversity of our community having taught children whose families came from more than 12 countries and speak at least 12 different languages.”
She elaborated on the value that diversity holds for her. “What I’ve found is that diversity is part of what makes Cary great, and we are all more alike than different. With diversity in race and ethnicity, language, culture, socioeconomic status, and family make up, it makes sense that the needs of individuals and families are also diverse.” She plans to make Cary more sustainable through, “Increasing the tree canopy and mitigating the heat island effects of density and development. Expanding sidewalks, greenways, separated bike lanes, and public transportation stops and frequency.”
The Town of Cary requires a candidate win at least 50% of the votes to win the election. Sarika Bansal, District D candidate, received 49% of the vote. She will be running against Rachel Jordan, District D candidate. There will be a runoff election on Nov. 7, as the candidate who receives the highest number of votes will gain the position.
