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Low turnout expected in Carrboro special election

Damon Seils, a member of the Carrboro Planning Department, declared that he will be running for a seat on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen
Damon Seils, a member of the Carrboro Planning Department, declared that he will be running for a seat on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen

Carrboro residents can vote in a special election today to choose the newest member of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen. But don’t expect there to be any long lines at the polls.

Tracy Reams, director of the Orange County Board of Elections, said early voting — which began on Feb. 28 and lasted about two weeks — only drew four voters.

“That’s very low,” she said.

Reams said the low numbers might be because the candidate, Carrboro resident Damon Seils, is the only one on the ballot.

She said the town would be lucky to see a two percent turnout rate today.

The position was vacated when former Alderman Dan Coleman resigned on Jan. 5 to move to Australia.

Alderman Lydia Lavelle said the board had no choice but to hold the special election because of a law in Carrboro’s charter banning appointments to the board.

The law was changed after the board ran into trouble in 2006 with a three-to-three tie decision on Coleman’s appointment to the board.

“Once you commit to have the election, you need to go forward with that election,” she said.

Lavelle said the only alternative to a special election — which she said would cost Carrboro about $11,000 — would have been leaving the seat vacant and waiting until the regular election in November.

Because of the uncontested election, the board asked Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange and a former Carrboro mayor, to present a bill to the N.C. General Assembly that would give the board alternatives, such as appointments, to fill future vacancies.

Kinnaird said a bill had to be brought to the N.C. General Assembly because of the state’s lack of home rule, which allows local delegations to govern themselves without a charter from the state legislature.

“I don’t have a particular interest in this,” she said. “I’m just doing what the board asked us to do.”

Kinnaird said she thinks the bill will pass without discussion or debate.

Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton said he is optimistic about the bill.

He said it would allow the board to have flexibility in deciding whether a special election or appointment is best given the situation.

“In some situations there’s some controversy about how to fill a seat and in some situations there’s not,” he said. “I think it’s a good change.”

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.

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