Karen Stegman left Chapel Hill seat in June, but not done with local politics
A former Chapel Hill council member launched her bid for county commissioner Wednesday, just one day after a current Orange County board member said she would not run again.
Karen Stegman stepped down in June after eight years on the Chapel Hill Town Council and five months before her term expired. The decision followed an anonymous tip to The News & Observer raising questions about her family’s purchase of a Carrboro home.
Stegman has since moved to Carrboro, and on Wednesday, announced her campaign to replace Sally Greene, an at-large member of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. Greene announced earlier this week that she will not seek another term in office.
Commissioners Chair Jamezetta Bedford, who represents District 1 in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, said Wednesday that she is planning to run for a third, four-year term next year.
The only other incumbent commissioner whose term expires next year is Earl McKee, who was first elected in 2010 to represent District 2, covering the rest of the county. McKee has not announced his plans.
The filing period for the 2026 election runs from noon Dec. 1 to noon Dec. 19. Orange County elections are typically decided in the March primary, because few Republicans seek office in the heavily Democratic county. The primary is on Tuesday, March 3.
In a news release, Stegman noted her priorities on the council included affordable housing, transit access and environmental protections. Community Home Trust, an Orange County affordable real estate and property management company, announced this week that Stegman is also joining its board of directors.
Greene, a former Community Home Trust board member, has been a longtime champion of affordable housing efforts, both during her three terms in Chapel Hill and two terms on the Orange County commissioners. She was also a key player in the creation of the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness.
Stegman said in her news release that affordable and “missing middle” housing that serves working families will continue to be a priority, along with fair and equitable property taxes, protecting natural resources, economic development, and support for public schools and the social safety net.
“Orange County needs leaders who bring the experience and temperament to address the affordability crisis without leaving anyone in the county behind,” the news release said. “Stegman has a history of substantial policy wins and a collaborative approach to problem-solving; she will be able to carry on the strong legacy of outgoing Commissioner Sally Greene and achieve progressive wins for the county.”
Stegman is a Chapel Hill native and is married to Orange-Chatham Superior Court Judge Alyson Grine. She has two children and has worked as director of business development for IntraHealth International and director of innovation partnerships at RTI International. She is now pursuing policy and consultant work supporting nonprofit strategy and resource development.
The Chapel Hill council has not filled her vacant seat, but two challengers were elected to the board on Nov. 4 — Wes McMahon and Louie Rivers III — along with incumbent council members Camille Berry and Paris Miller-Foushee. They will be sworn in at a December meeting.
This story was originally published November 12, 2025 at 11:07 AM.