Today, the Carolina Forward team is proud to announce our list of endorsements for local elections across North Carolina.

In our system of government, local elected officials wield significant authority over issues that affect everyone’s daily life. Local government is frequently where decisions made in Raleigh or Washington translate into real-world action: where infrastructure is built, how policies are executed, who runs them, and so forth. The difference between good and bad policy often boils down to who runs it, and whose interests they have in mind.

In this November’s election, Carolina Forward endorses 19 candidates for local office, from Cullowhee to Wilmington. These candidates have demonstrated the judgment, intelligence and integrity needed to move North Carolina’s communities in a more positive and constructive direction.

In alphabetical order, this year’s endorsed candidates are:

The Carolina Forward team is honored to contribute in a small way to helping build a statewide bench of smart, tested and dedicated public servants. In the 2025 municipal elections cycle, our team was proud to endorse 28 candidates, 21 of whom won their races.

We encourage all North Carolina voters to learn more about the local candidates in their own area - and especially the ones on this list. Early voting begins on October 15th across North Carolina, and voters can find early voting sites near them at the State Board of Elections website.

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