CORRECTION

A story in Tuesday's City & State section misstated the voting history of incumbents running for reelection to the Carrboro Board of Aldermen. Only Alderwoman Joal Hall Broun voted with the majority favoring a forced annexation of neighborhoods into the town.

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The election in the Triangle today proves the point of a famous bit of political advice the late House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill received from his father: "All politics is local."

From contentious races for mayor and City Council in Durham to municipal contests in 10 Wake County and 10 Johnston County towns, Election Day will have a decidedly parochial flavor. There are no congressional or statewide contests. And concern about the Triangle's explosive rate of growth is a center-stage issue in several races, including most of the Wake County town elections, a hotly contested battle for mayor and town board in Pittsboro, and real estate transfer tax initiatives in Johnston and Chatham counties.

Marquee contests

DURHAM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL: Veteran Mayor Bill Bell faces a vigorous challenge from Thomas Stith III, a City Council member who says he will reduce crime and usher in more efficient government. In the City Council race, two incumbents and four challengers vie for three at-large seats. There is also a referendum on a $20 million bond issue for city street improvements and three county bond issues totaling $207 million for schools, a community college and a museum.

PITTSBORO MAYOR AND TOWN BOARD: Growth is a central issue in this Chatham County contest, where the mayor and three of six candidates for town commissioner have banded together as a planned-growth slate. The crowded field includes a three-way race for mayor and four challengers going against two incumbent town commissioners.

CARRBORO MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN: Another crowded field with a three-way race for mayor and four challengers running against two incumbent aldermen. The central issue -- you guessed it, growth. In this case, anger about an involuntary annexation that took effect last year motivates a mayoral candidate and three challengers for alderman. There are also mayoral and Town Council or town board contests in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough and a race for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education.

WAKE COUNTY TOWN ELECTIONS: Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell and Zebulon.

JOHNSTON COUNTY TOWN ELECTIONS: Benson, Clayton, Four Oaks, Kenly, Micro, Pine Level, Princeton, Selma, Smithfield, Wilson's Mills.