NC Senate removes language from bill affecting election terms of Forsyth County commissioners, WS/FCS school board

The state Senate removed Tuesday language from a proposed N.C. Senate bill that could affect the next set of terms for the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools' Board of Education.

A conference committee compromise version of Senate Bill 214, titled 'Various Local Provisions VIII added language affecting the upcoming November general elections for both boards.

The amended bill would reduce the term from four to two years for the winners, meaning they would have to run for reelection in 2028.

The latest version of the bill was withdrawn from the Senate floor on Tuesday, a day after the same action was taken in the House.

It's not clear if the Forsyth board term language is the primary reason for the decisions by House speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell.

Rather, SB214 may be derailed in the House by language that would allow Franklin County to acquire real property - through purchase or condemnation - in neighboring Henderson and in Halifax, Vance and Warren counties without the consent or approval of the commissioners in the three counties.

Representatives of the three counties said the language represents a bad precedent of counties taking over other counties' land by gaining the ear of a willing legislator.

On Thursday, Rep. Rodney Pierce, D-Halifax, held a press conference at the legislature to state his opposition to SB214.

Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, said on the Senate floor that the language affecting Forsyth and the four counties "have caused a great deal of heartburn, and both are House provisions."

"The House is debating what to do with the conference report. We're just going to move forward and pull the bill, taking out those two provisions and sending the bill back without those two provisions."

Background

The changes surfaced April 21 - the first official day of the short General Assembly session.

The Senate approved SB214 on second reading April 22 by a 28-21 vote with all but one Senate Republican voting yes and all Senate Democrats voting no. There was little debate on the bill besides Sen. Paul Lowe, D-Forsyth, stating his opposition.

The bill does not address future terms and elections for the commissioners. The school board's recently enacted staggered terms would be altered again beginning with the 2028 election.

Two Forsyth Republican legislative delegation members - Sen. Dana Jones and Rep. Kyle Hall - defended the added language.

Jones wrote in a letter to four Forsyth Democratic commissioner and nine school board candidates that she views shifting to a two-year term "is in the best interest of the public."

"Shorter initial terms also provide voters with an earlier opportunity to weigh in and ensure representation reflects the will of the community," Jones wrote in a response letter to 13 Forsyth Democratic candidates who oppose SB214.

Democratic opposition

The three Democratic incumbent commissioners are Dan Besse, Tonya McDaniel and Shai Woodbury, as well as candidate Marsie West.

The nine school board candidates are incumbent Alex Bohannon, Valerie Brockenbrough, incumbent Trevonia Brown-Gaither, Lee Childress, Susan Conway, Curtis Fentress, Marie Jackson, Ronda Mays and Elisabeth Motsinger.

The candidates stated their opposition to SB214, saying "changing the terms of an election after the primary has already occurred disrespects the voters who participated and sets a troubling precedent."

"It risks allowing election outcomes to be challenged outside the ballot box, undermining public trust."

The candidates point out how the SB214 language "does not clearly address how staggered terms would be applied" to the commissioners, "creating community confusion and risk further disruption rather than strengthening long-term stability and oversight."

Following the Senate's decision to remove the Forsyth boards' language, Fentress said the bill "would blunt the mandate for change and accountability given to the new WS/FCS Board of Education elected in November . I'm heartened that it appears to have lost momentum in Raleigh and grateful to the community for speaking out against it.

"Voters want local and state officials to partner together to improve outcomes for students, rather than spend time debating how long their terms of service should be. "

Some political analysts say the likely purpose of the language inserted into SB214 is to give Republicans a chance every two years - rather than every four years - to flip a Democratic commissioner or school board seat.

Republicans currently hold a 4-3 margin on the commissioners, while Democrats hold a 5-4 margin on the school board.

Forsyth commissioner chairman Don Martin and Besse said April 22 that they were not aware of the changes being inserted into SB214 before April 21, nor were they consulted about the language.

During the House debate, Rep. Amber Baker, D-Forsyth, questioned the insertion of the Forsyth language into SB214, noting that "we are just a couple of months past the primary season, and this proposed change is going to affect the 2026 elections."

"I was just wondering why this was inserted in this conference report at this particular time without any conversation with anyone. Do we know what's driving this?"

Baker was not provided with an answer.

Impact on school board

As it is now, all nine seats on the school board are up for election at the same time every four years, potentially leaving voters to elect nine new members, disrupting the board's continuity.

SB214 would require all nine school board election winners to serve a two-year term.

The bill would also amend the staggered terms of office approved by the legislature in House Bill 174 in June 2023.

HB174 authorized that, for the November 2026 general election, the top vote-getters in the three voting districts for the WS/FCS Board of Education would serve four-year terms, while those elected but receiving lower vote totals would serve a single two-year term.

Right now, those serving two-year terms would be up for re-election to four-year terms in 2028, and the highest vote-getters would be up for re-election to four-year terms in 2030.

The following are the terms changes included in SB214:

Of the two District 1 winners, the highest vote-getter would serve a four-year term, and that seat would be up for election every four years afterward. The second-highest vote-getter would serve a two-year term, and that seat would be up for election in 2030 and every four years afterward.

Of the four District 2 winners, the two highest vote-getters would serve a four-year term, and that seat would be up for election every four years afterward. The third- and fourth-highest vote-getter would serve a two-year term, and that seat would be up for election in 2030 and every four years afterward.

Of the three at-large winners, the two highest vote-getters would serve a four-year term, and that seat would be up for election every four years afterward. The third-highest vote-getter would serve a two-year term, and that seat would be up for election in 2030 and every four years afterward.

Deanna Kaplan, chairwoman of the school board, could not be reached for comment on SB214.

"One of the advantages of having staggered terms is that they bring continuity to the board and preserve stability so we can make sound long-term decisions that are in the best interest of our students," Kaplan said in June 2023.

Brockenbrough said Tuesday that "I am relieved but still extremely disappointed about the way this bill came about."

"I am still worried we are going to see more renegade legislation like this during the short session.

"I wish Representative Hall and Senator Jones would put the same energy into passing a budget instead of meddling into local government.

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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 5:42 AM.