Candidates likely to spice up race

Election Day is 200 days away, and for the four Carrboro officials whose terms expire in December, speculation already has begun.

The race’s makeup won’t be entirely clear until after the Aug. 5 filing deadline, but it’s clear that candidates will come from a variety of backgrounds — and that some of those hopefuls will look to challenge the status quo.

The Nov. 8 election will include the seats now held by Mayor Pro Tem Diana McDuffee, aldermen Jacquelyn Gist and John Herrera, and Mayor Mike Nelson.

Among the possible candidates are a UNC alumnus who got his start in local politics as an undergraduate, as well as a slate of fresh — and unhappy — faces.

Alderman Mark Chilton, whose seat expires in 2007, said Thursday that although he is still undecided, he is considering a run for mayor.

“It’s a job that demands a lot of one’s time,” said Chilton, who won a seat on the Chapel Hill Town Council while still enrolled at UNC. “I want to see how the feel of the race and other candidates is going to shape up.”

Chilton said he’ll know his intentions for sure once he examines the position’s demands and speaks with his family.

An aldermen whose term is not yet up is still allowed to run for mayor, according to Board of Elections Director Carolyn Thomas.

Candidates also could come from outside the town’s existing ranks. Residents angry with their recent annexation into the town are looking for candidates.

Randolph Ryan, a member of a recently annexed subdivision, said he and others on an action committee are interviewing possible candidates.

“Our plan is to back, financially and politically, a slate of candidates that would remove the incumbents and any other new candidates taking the same stance as the aldermen on unchecked expansion,” he said.

Ryan also hopes to involve UNC — and its students — in this year’s race.

“The University is an important segment we want to appeal to,” he said.

Students have not shown excitement about local elections in the past. In the 2003 Chapel Hill elections, only 10 percent of registered 18- to 22-year-olds voted — and because more students live in Chapel Hill than Carrboro, their influence there could be small.

But Ryan said his group wants to get more students voting. He also couldn’t name potential candidates at this time.

“We’ll get the information out there as soon as we know,” he said.

Two of the incumbent aldermen said they’re not sure whether they’ll try to keep their posts.

Gist, for her part, said she’ll only run if another trustworthy candidate doesn’t enter the race.

“At the moment, 16 years is a really long time,” she said of her tenure. “So I don’t really want to.”

McDuffee said she is definitely not running for mayor, and is still not sure if she will run again at all.

“I have a full-time job and feel really stretched sometimes, so it’s just something I’m going to have to consider very carefully,” she said.

Alderman Alex Zaffron is another possible mayoral candidate who says it’s too soon to know for sure.

“It’s a long time between now and then and I’ve got a lot of stuff going on,” he said.

Jeff Vanke, a write-in candidate for mayor in 2003 who won almost 41 percent of the vote, said he doesn’t know if he’ll try another run.

With a new baby at home, he said, his time will be limited. But he’s been an outspoken critic of the current aldermen and of Nelson.

“I would rather not run,” Vanke said. “But on the other hand, I would rather not have an uncompromising mayor. If someone like that runs unopposed, I’ll run.”

Chilton said he doubts Nelson will seek another term, but Nelson was unavailable for comment.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.