North Carolina › New Hanover County › New Hanover County Board of Education
8 candidates are tracked for New Hanover County Board of Education on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Amy Dunning, Wendy Dale, Pat Bradford, Josie Barnhart, Chris Sutton, Brittnei LaRue, Jerry Jones, Jr. and Margie Gewirtzman. Candidate information follows official New Hanover County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Eight candidates for four seats on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Pat Bradford and Josie Barnhart (both Republican) are incumbents seeking re-election, per the district's official board page. Margie Gewirtzman took the fourth Democratic primary slot after candidate Rick Southerland withdrew, per Port City Daily.
Amy Dunning is an elementary math teacher at a private school and a former Title I teacher, per Port City Daily. No campaign website was found for her school board run. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Amy Dunning.
2026 priorities (per the Port City Daily)
- Implementing best teaching practices and equitable teacher distribution across schools
- A bottom-up leadership approach that incorporates teacher feedback
Wendy Dale works as a contracts specialist, per Port City Daily. No campaign website was found for her school board run. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Wendy Dale.
2026 priorities (per the Port City Daily)
- Increased school funding and efficient policy implementation
- Advocating for state-level support and trusting educators
Pat Bradford is the incumbent board member and chair of its Capital, Bond and Finance Committee, per Port City Daily and the district's official board page. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Pat Bradford.
2026 priorities (per the Port City Daily)
- Addressing the district's funding pressures and passing a bond referendum
- Safety and discipline, and transparent financial allocation
Josie Barnhart is an incumbent board member first elected in 2022, per Port City Daily and the district's official board page. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Josie Barnhart.
2026 priorities (per the Port City Daily)
- Staff stability and retention
- Student innovation programs and targeted teacher incentive pay at low-performing schools
Chris Sutton is a maintenance technician who previously ran for the school board in 2022, per Port City Daily. No campaign website was found for his 2026 run. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Chris Sutton.
2026 priorities (per the Port City Daily)
- Board transparency and accountability
- Retaining experienced educators and policy incentives for teachers
Brittnei LaRue is a financial professional who helps individuals and families make informed decisions about their finances, per her campaign site. She holds a bachelor's degree in Foreign Languages with a concentration in Spanish and is a political newcomer running as a parent in the district.
2026 priorities (per the campaign site)
- Financial responsibility and budget oversight for the district
- Rebuilding trust between the school system and families through open communication
- Quality education using resources wisely and building partnerships with educators and families
Source: candidate campaign site.
Campaign site →
Jerry Jones, Jr. is a co-founder of The Roasted Bookery and an environmental chemist who has taught middle-school science, per Port City Daily. He previously ran for the school board in 2024. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Jerry Jones, Jr..
2026 priorities (per the Port City Daily)
- Representing working-class families and top-tier public education funding
- Democratizing feedback processes and building teacher trust and autonomy
Margie Gewirtzman has a nonprofit background and is the mother of three children with special needs, per Port City Daily. She took the fourth Democratic primary slot after candidate Rick Southerland withdrew. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Margie Gewirtzman.
2026 priorities (per the Port City Daily)
- Securing funding for student support services and reducing discipline disparities
- Hiring an education technologist and expanding accessibility tools in classrooms
