Cary Town Council candidate calls for runoff in district race
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Cary Town Council Election 2023
Cary residents will elect a mayor and new town council members this year. Nine candidates are on the ballot. Early voting for the town began Thursday, Sept. 21, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 7. Election Day is set for Tuesday, Oct. 10. Here is information about candidates and the election.
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CORRECTION: An initial version of this story reported Sarika Bansal had won the District D race. Because she did not achieve the 50% plus one vote threshold, second-place finisher Rachel Jordan may call for a runoff.
The race for a Cary Town Council seat is headed for a runoff after the second-place finisher announced Friday she has asked for one.
Challengers bested two Cary Town Council incumbents in district races Tuesday night.
Newcomer Michelle Craig defeated four-term council member Don Frantz in District B.
Sarika Bansal and Rachel Jordan finished first and second in District D, ahead of incumbent Ryan Eades, but Bansal did not achieve the 50% plus one majority needed to win outright.
Mayor Harold Weinbrecht ran unopposed, and at-large incumbent Lori Bush finished far ahead in her council race.
District D candidate calls for runoff
District D consists of west Cary and parts of Chatham County. The district was represented by Ya Liu before she resigned from the post to serve in the state House of Representatives. Eades was appointed in December 2022 to complete her term and finished the race third with 23%.
With all six precincts reporting in Wake and Chatham counties, Bansal finished with 49% of the vote, followed by Jordan with 28%.
Because Bansal did not reach the threshold required to win, Jordan said Friday she has filed a request for a runoff.
The runoff will take place on Election Day, Nov. 7.
In a phone call, Jordan said she was grateful for the experience of running for office and to the community, her friends, and her family for their support.
“West Cary is an interesting district. We have the fastest growth, the most diverse population. We are culturally diverse, we have the greatest number of children and the greatest number of seniors,” Jordan said. “We have the highest number of graduate degrees. ... I want to be a person who represents all of the people in my district.”
In a phone call Friday afternoon, Bansal said she is ready and looking forward to the Nov. 7 race.
If elected, Bansal would be the first Indian American to the town council. She is a small business owner and moved to the town in 2015. She lists as priorities public safety and getting construction moving in western Cary, including a focus on the town’s drinking water and infrastructure.
Mayor
Weinbrecht took 95% of the vote with all 44 precincts reporting to win his sixth term as mayor.
In a Facebook post, the mayor said Cary’s “support meant the world to me.”
“I am honored to begin serving my fifth term as your mayor,” he said.
At-large
There were three candidates for one of the council’s at-large seats.
Bush defeated opponents Mary Insprucker and Matthew Gronke with nearly 71% of the vote.
Insprucker finished second with 24% of the vote. Gronke had 4%.
Bush took to Facebook to announce her win saying, “your votes are not just numbers on a ballot, they are a powerful endorsement of our collective aspirations and the hope for a brighter future.”
“This election is also a testament to the incredible spirit of our community. Cary is a town of diverse backgrounds, ideas, and experiences, and it’s this very diversity that makes our town unique and strong,” she said.
District B
With all 12 precincts reporting, Craig won 61% of the vote, to incumbent Don Frantz’s 39%.
Craig, a substitute teacher for the Wake County Public School System and a former pre-K teacher, moved to Cary 10 years ago with her young family.
Frantz, first elected in 2007, has served four terms on the council.
On Facebook, Frantz said, “although we were not victorious, I am not defeated and walk away with my head held high. I am proud of my work and all that we accomplished.”
“I congratulate Ms. Craig on her victory and wish her the best in her new role,” he said.
Craig told The News & Observer that she was “filled with gratitude” and appreciated Frantz for the time he served on the Town Council.
“I am grateful to the voters who chose to invest in me and our community,” she said. “We saw a vision of making Cary more affordable, equitable and sustainable, and with the help of many volunteers, we worked to share that vision throughout Cary, District B.”
This story was originally published October 10, 2023 at 8:18 PM.
