By Jackson Colo and Avery Ehrman
Staff Writer and Editor-in-Chief

Board of Commissioners District B: 

The Board of Commissioners is a group of politicians in charge of the county’s annual budget, setting tax rates, and establishing land-use policies. The board elects its members during even-numbered years, with members elected into staggered four-year terms, having no term limits. 

Curtis Fentress 

Winston-Salem native and  Mt. Tabor High School graduate, Curtis Fentress, is running for election to the District B Board of Commissioners in the Democratic party. His campaign aims to bring a younger generation of candidates onto the board, bringing modernized ideas and new priorities. Growing up in the WSFCS district and with kids of his own, Fentress seeks to prioritize families around Forsyth County and their children’s education. 

Richard V. Linville

A member of the board since his original election in 1980 and the Republican party, Richard V. Linville is running for another term. Linville is another candidate who grew up in the WSFCS district and graduated from East Forsyth High School. 

Marsie West

Looking to bring a new perspective to the board, Democratic candidate Marsie West is seeking to expand her horizons by running for county commissioner. With her deep history in financial services and current employment as a senior consultant, she will reach her goals of promoting economic development and achieving new levels of fiscal responsibility while strengthening the public school system. 

Gloria Whisenhunt

Gloria Whisenhunt is a current Republican member of the board and has a rich background in the Forsyth County school system. Winning her first School Board Campaign in 1990, Whisenhunt uses her past experiences to grow the relationship between the commissioner board and the school board. As a member of the commissioner board, Whisenhunt wants to make sure the budget aligns with the school system’s needs and benefits students as much as possible. 

Gray Wilson

Gray Wilson is a Republican candidate with experience as a full-time lawyer for the past forty-seven years. Following the pandemic, Wilson is looking to rebuild the public school system using around 1/3 of the country’s annual budget. He is a strong supporter of giving every student an equal opportunity to receive the best education possible. Wilson believes in strong fiscal responsibility and prioritizing the needs of citizens in Forsyth County.

Valarie Brockenborugh

Valarie Brockenborough is a Democratic candidate with deep ties to R.J. Reynolds. Having had all of her kids go through the public school system, education is her main priority. Brockenborugh wants to use portions of the annual budget to improve schools’ physical states, allowing them to function according to twenty-first-century needs. She is a big believer in gun safety, tieing into the school system, and her belief that no child should go to school with fears of violence. 

City of WS Council Member West Ward

The City of Winston-Salem Council Members is a group of eight individuals who set standards and regulations for the benefit of our city. From approving the annual budget to levying property taxes, this council ensures the well-being of Winston-Salem. 

Robert Clark:

As a current Republican member of the city council, first elected in 2001, Robert Clark is running for his seventh term. He hopes to continue to fight for citizens in Winston-Salem and improve vulnerable communities through grants and funding from the county. 

Christopher Smith:

Christopher Smith is the Democratic candidate for WS Council West Ward. Smith aims to actively listen to the community, organize events, and collaborate to address issues effectively. Additionally, Smith hopes to foster accessibility, safety, and environmental sustainability for all.

NC Public Instruction:  

The North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction serves as the chief administrative officer for public schools, leading over 1.3 million K-12 students. They head the Department of Public Instruction, which administers approximately $11 billion annually in funding, working to develop subjects, course content, and assessments, and provide licenses to over 100,000 teachers and administrators.

Maurice (Mo) Green: 

Maurice (Mo) Green is a Democratic candidate advocating for higher base pay for public school educators, including teachers, bus drivers, social workers, and all additional school staff. He also aims to implement policies and strategies that will help lower-performing schools and school districts improve their academic achievement. Additionally, Green advocates for North Carolina to be fully invested in its public school system. 

“These are my top priorities because of current conditions,” Green said. “North Carolina’s schools and school systems are being woefully underfunded. In various measures, North Carolina ranks at or near the bottom among the states in funding provided for public education. A court-ordered report found that billions of dollars are due to the North Carolina public school system. Those funds have not been provided. Rather, the General Assembly has appropriated hundreds of millions of dollars and will appropriate billions of dollars to an expanded taxpayer-funded, private school voucher program when those funds should be going to the public school system.” 

Green served as Executive Director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, a philanthropic

organization that supports many causes in North Carolina, including public education. Moreover, Mo worked to help uplift the Guilford County School System as well as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

“I served as Superintendent of Guilford County Schools, NC’s third largest district with over 70,000 students, for seven and a half years,” Green said.“While I was Superintendent, GCS garnered state and national recognition for improved academic performance, increased graduation rates, and character development. Before GCS, I served as Deputy Superintendent/Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, one of NC’s two largest districts with over 130,000 students, for seven and a half years.”

Mo also brings an inspiring message to young voters, that he hopes to take with them as they cast their ballot. 

“Don’t ever underestimate or give away your power,” Green said.“Your power is in your vote. Even if not every election outcome goes the way you would like, you still have a responsibility to share your opinion in this democracy. Students especially should understand that when you all raise your voices together, you create powerful change.”

Michele Morrow:  

Michelle Morrow is a Republican candidate who advocates for the use of smaller class sizes to help advance NC schools. Michelle aims to expand schools’ academics, promote security and authority in the classroom, and reallocate North Carolina spending. 

“My main goals are safety and discipline in the classroom; a high-quality curriculum that focuses on academics; and expanding trade and technical education so that every student has a clear path to post-graduation success,” Morrow said. “I will absolutely focus funding and resources on the needs of students and classrooms rather than on bureaucrats in the boardrooms. We have the money for every school to meet the needs of our teachers and students, we just are not prioritizing it properly.” 

Michelle’s experience includes being a mom of children who attended a mixture of public, private, and homeschool education. She also helped educate young high schoolers in subjects like biology, chemistry, Spanish, and civics via homeschooling programs. Additionally, she served on the Executive Committee for the Wake County Grand Ole Party as an advocate for citizen rights groups and legislative liaison for multiple medical and education issues.

Micheel rounds out her platform with a message to young voters, hoping they understand the power they have in their vote. 

“I hope that you, high school students and young adults, are already involved in this very important election process,” Morrow said. “It’s not only a great responsibility, but something millions of people around the world are not able to do – regardless of age.”

Senate: 

The North Carolina Senate makes up the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, consisting of fifty members who serve a two-year term. Senators represent different districts around North Carolina, each representing an equal number of people. Forsyth County falls into District 32. 

Zac Lentz:

Zac Lentz is a member of the Libertarian Party and is taking his first step into politics. His experience includes being a civil engineer for LaBella Associates, and an engineer for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Additionally, Lentz is a North Carolina State alum, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in biological engineering as well as his Master of Science degree in biological and agricultural engineering.

Paul Lowe:

Paul Lowe has served on the North Carolina Senate since 2015. Lowe aims to expand Medicaid to help provide healthcare to half a million North Carolina residents. Additionally, Lowe aims to help grow and bond the North Carolina school system. He hopes that increasing healthcare and education will allow North Carolina residents to find more job opportunities as they progress through life. 

George K. Ware:

North Carolina native and republican candidate George Ware has a passion for giving power to the people. Ware aims to continue parents’ rights in choosing their children’s education, giving every child opportunities to do their best in the classroom. If elected, he hopes to pass legislation ensuring funding is distributed throughout the state, more specifically to those in need. 

House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two branches of Congress, along with the Senate. It is composed of a group of 435 politicians representing each state in the US. Their jobs are to collaborate with one another to create and pass legislation for the benefit of our country.  

Amber M. Baker

    Amber Baker is a Democratic candidate with many years of experience in politics. After working as an elementary school principal for many years and being elected into the house in 2020, she is ready to use those experiences to influence her next four years. Baker is a big believer in the power of a strong community which has the potential to positively impact local school systems.