Former Wake school board member to seek new seat in local government
Former Wake County Board of Education member Christine Kushner is seeking a new seat, on a new board.
Kushner announced she will run for one of two new, at-large seats on the Wake County Board of Commissioners.
“I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to have responsible and responsive local leadership,” Kushner said in a news release. “The current chaos in the federal government makes it more important than ever that we defend our schools and public services to protect our most vulnerable residents, continue to grow our economy, and maintain our quality of life in Wake County.”
While the school board is technically nonpartisan, Kushner, a Democrat, helped unseat the Republican majority on the board in 2011. During her tenure on the school board she served as chair and vice chair before deciding not to see re-election in 2022.
She serves on the Wake County Health and Human Services Board and was appointed by then-Gov. Roy Cooper to represent North Carolina on the Southern Regional Education Board, a nonprofit that works to improve education in southern states.
“I’m running to ensure that, even through unprecedented challenges, we continue to move Wake County forward — investing in making housing more affordable, improving health care services, funding public schools, preserving the environment, and keeping our communities safe.”
Kushner is one of several candidates aiming to join the expanded Wake County Board of Commissioners.
Raleigh City Council member Jonathan Lambert-Melton and Morrisville Town Council member Steve Rao have also announced their candidacies.
Filing runs Dec. 1-19. The primary is March 3, 2026, with the general election Nov. 3, 2026.
