WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – With three incumbent members of the New Hanover County Board of Education choosing not to seek new four-year terms, voters will put three new faces on that board in the 2024 general election.

Democrats Stephanie Walker and Hugh McManus are leaving the board along with Republican Stephanie Kraybill. Walker is running for a seat on the board of county commissioners, while Kraybill and McManus are not running for office this season.

There are six candidates running to fill the three open seats: Nikki Bascome, David Perry and Natosha Tew are the Republican nominees, while Jerry Jones, Judy Justice and Tim Merrick represent the Democratic slate.

Bascome is a first-time candidate for the school board. She is a substitute teacher for the school district and previously ran a childcare facility.

Perry, a software engineer, is a first-time candidate for the board of education. He previously campaigned for the North Carolina District 19 seat in 2018 and 2020. Perry has been quite involved during school board meetings, frequently speaking during the public comment period.

Tew is a former City of Wilmington Firefighter, HAZMAT Technician, EMT and Emergency Management Coordinator. Tew also founded the local chapter of Moms for Liberty and has been outspoken against masks and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jones is running for office for the first time. He owns The Roasted Bookery in Wilmington.

Former school board member Justice is running to regain the seat she lost at the end of her first term in 2022. She is a former educator.

Merrick, another first-time candidate, is a retired chiropractor and semi-retired consultant.

The current school board has five Republicans and two Democrats. Any general election result would keep Republicans Pete Wildeboer, Melissa Mason, Josie Barnhart and Pat Bradford in the majority.

Copyright 2024 WECT. All rights reserved.