Get to know the candidates running for Apex mayor and Town Council
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Apex mayoral and Town Council election
Residents will vote for the mayor and two Town Council members in Apex this year. Mayor Jacques Gilbert is running unopposed, while incumbents Terry Mahaffey and Arno Zegerman face challengers Tayon Williams Dancy, Dylan Hale and Gregory Lyon.
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Six people are on the ballot for this year’s municipal election in Apex.
The town, with over 75,000 residents, will elect the mayor and two council members this year.
The council is made up of six members, and each serves four-year terms. The other three council members will be up for election in 2025.
This election is almost a redo of the appointment for the seat vacated by Cheryl Stallings when she left for the Wake County Board of Commissioners. Four candidates on the ballot applied to fill the position, including Arno Zegerman, who was appointed.
Early voting runs Oct. 19 through Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 7.
Mayor
▪ Jacques Gilbert
Gilbert is running for another term unopposed. He was elected to the position in 2019 after retiring as a captain from the Apex Police Department, where he served 29 years. A native of Apex, Gilbert said he wants to continue focusing on community enrichment, economic vitality, traffic solutions and taking care of the town’s staff.
Town Council candidates
▪ Dylan Hale
Hale is a veteran, small business owner and Realtor. His wife, Christine, applied for Stallings’ seat in 2022 and was a candidate for the council in 2021. According to his website, Hale is running to bring “balance to our town council” by adding a conservative and moderate voice. His platform includes transportation, public safety, taxes and utilities.
▪ Gregory Lyon
Lyon is an area manager for PICS Inventory Specialist in Raleigh. An Apex resident for over a decade, he said he believes the current council is mismanaging the town. He is running on public safety, traffic and transportation, green spaces, and housing affordability.
▪ Terry Mahaffey (incumbent)
Mahaffey was first elected to the council in 2019 and is a software engineer. Since being on the council, Mahaffey said he has helped win approval for an affordable housing plan, the GoApex bus route, and greenways. His campaign platform stresses trust, transparency and trees.
▪ Tayon Williams Dancy
Dancy moved to Apex in 1998. She is a senior software engineer program manager at Toshiba in Research Triangle Park. Dancy is also an ordained minister and active in the community, including organizing the town’s Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Weekend. Her platform includes housing affordability, infrastructure, and an inclusive community.
▪ Arno Zegerman (incumbent)
Zegerman was appointed to the council in 2023 to finish Stallings’ term. He is chief of staff for Silicon Valley Bank in Raleigh. He was born and raised in the Netherlands and moved to Apex with his young family in 2013. If re-elected, he plans to continue supporting the town’s development through zoning, natural resources, traffic, diversity, and public safety.
Upcoming forums
The Apex Chamber of Commerce will hold a candidates forum Oct. 26 at the Halle Cultural Arts Center, 237 N. Salem St. The event is free, but registration is required at apexchamber.com.
Voter information
Early voting begins Oct. 19. The Wake County Board of Elections, 1200 N. New Hope Road in Raleigh, will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
For residents who plan to vote early in Apex, the John M. Brown Community Center, 53 Hunter St., opens Oct. 28 at 8 a.m.
On Election Day, residents will be required to vote at their designated precincts, which can be found on the State Board of Elections website, ncsbe.gov.
Voters will also need to have a Voter ID or photo identification to cast a ballot this year.
This story was originally published October 13, 2023 at 5:13 PM.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story reported Arno Zegerman was appointed to the Apex Town Council in 2022 and moved to the town in 2023.
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