N&O endorsements: Our choices for Wake County commissioners, Soil & Water

It can be easy to forget about down-ballot races, but they still deserve your consideration. Wake County commissioners are the ones who set your county tax rates and approve the annual budget, including money that goes toward the Wake County Public School System.

Wake County commissioners are running for four-year terms for the first time since 2015, and the maps have been redrawn since the 2020 election. There are four commissioners races in Wake County — Districts 1, 2, 3 and 7. Although all contestants have to live in the district they represent, they are selected by all Wake County voters.

District 7, which covers part of western Wake County, is an uncontested race. Democrat Vickie Adamson is running for reelection and is unopposed.

District 1

District 1 encompasses the easternmost parts of Wake County, and has been represented by Commissioner Sig Hutchinson since 2014. Democratic candidate Don Mial is a veteran with experience on local government boards. He’s even been named to the Order of the Longleaf Pine, the highest civilian honor in our state. We endorsed him in the primary election earlier this year.

His Republican opponent, Chanel Harris, is a nonprofit founder and a notary public who stresses the need to have more hospitality infrastructure, like transit and hotels, in downtown Raleigh. Harris has good points, but Mial’s track record in civic life as well as his focus on public education would be a major asset to the board. We recommend Don Mial for District 1.

District 2

District 2 is the southern tip of the county, and borders Johnston and Harnett counties. Its current commissioner, Matt Calabria, is running for re-election. Calabria has been serving on the board since 2014, and in conversation emphasized public services the county has taken on in order to give residents a better quality of life. His opponent, Mark McMains, is an entrepreneur from Fuquay-Varina who is concerned about the county’s spending and the affect on seniors with fixed income.

In conversation, Calabria emphasized that the county just had the best year for economic development. He wants to address the school system’s construction backlog and the needs of low-income renters and homeowners. We recommend Matt Calabria for District 2.

District 3

District 3 is the southwest corner of Wake County and currently represented by Maria Cervania, who is vying for a state House seat. The two women running to replace her are Republican Irina Comer and Democrat Cheryl Stallings.

Comer was born in the Soviet Union, and worked in mergers and acquisitions on Wall Street before moving to North Carolina. In campaigning, she has stressed her financial literacy, and feels that the school system could cut some of its administrative roles to save money. She is also against mask mandates in schools.

Stallings is a psychologist and a current member of the Apex Town Council. Aside from her experience as an elected official, she sees mental health services as a need that the county can help fulfill. She also wants to see investment in all levels of school, including pre-K and the community college. We recommend Cheryl Stallings for District 3.

Soil & Water Conservation

The Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor is a four-year, nonpartisan position that oversees more than 77,000 acres of farmland. It also offers assistance to landowners on the best land maintenance. The current supervisor is Jenna Wadsworth, who has held the position since 2014.

There are four candidates running against Wadsworth: Beth Pugh Farrell, Brian K. Lewis, Stephen E. Xavier, and Alex Baldwin.

While the majority of candidates have an agricultural background, Wadsworth has done a good job in the last eight years, and has become a champion for agriculture and climate activism at the state level. Her biggest focus this cycle is supporting local farmers. We recommend Jenna Wadsworth for Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.

This story was originally published October 25, 2022 at 4:00 AM.