The Ballot Brief
New Hanover County, North Carolina

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.

About this race

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.

What this office does

School board member. The school board is the governing body of a public school district. It hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts the district budget, sets policies on curriculum, discipline, attendance boundaries and facilities, and approves contracts and collective bargaining agreements. Day-to-day operations belong to the superintendent; the board sets direction and holds the administration accountable.

North Carolina › New Hanover County › New Hanover County Board of Education

Amy Dunning

Republican

Top priorities
  • Implementing best teaching practices and equitable teacher distribution across schools
  • A bottom-up leadership approach that incorporates teacher feedback

Per the Port City Daily.

Biography

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 was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Amy Dunning.

Wendy Dale

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Increased school funding and efficient policy implementation
  • Advocating for state-level support and trusting educators

Per the Port City Daily.

Biography

Wendy Dale works as a contracts specialist, per Port City Daily. No campaign website was found for her school board run. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Wendy Dale.

Pat Bradford

Republican

Top priorities
  • Addressing the district's funding pressures and passing a bond referendum
  • Safety and discipline, and transparent financial allocation

Per the Port City Daily.

Biography

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.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Josie Barnhart

Republican

Top priorities
  • Staff stability and retention
  • Student innovation programs and targeted teacher incentive pay at low-performing schools

Per the Port City Daily.

Biography

Josie Barnhart is an incumbent board member first elected in 2022, per Port City Daily and the district's official board page.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Chris Sutton

Republican

Top priorities
  • Board transparency and accountability
  • Retaining experienced educators and policy incentives for teachers

Per the Port City Daily.

Biography

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 was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Chris Sutton.

Brittnei LaRue

Democratic

Top priorities
  • 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

Per the campaign site.

Biography

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.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Jerry Jones, Jr.

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Representing working-class families and top-tier public education funding
  • Democratizing feedback processes and building teacher trust and autonomy

Per the Port City Daily.

Biography

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 was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Jerry Jones, Jr.

Margie Gewirtzman

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Securing funding for student support services and reducing discipline disparities
  • Hiring an education technologist and expanding accessibility tools in classrooms

Per the Port City Daily.

Biography

Margie Gewirtzman is a mother of three who says on the campaign site that 18 years have been spent as an advocate in medical, educational and community settings for programs that serve children with disabilities, per the campaign site. Gewirtzman is running for the New Hanover County Board of Education.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
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Questions about this race

Who is running for New Hanover County Board of Education in 2026?

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.

When is the New Hanover County Board of Education election in North Carolina?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for North Carolina are on the North Carolina election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact New Hanover County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official New Hanover County and state election office filings, last verified October 1, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official North Carolina election office, or see the full New Hanover County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your New Hanover County ballot

16 tracked races in New Hanover County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
New Hanover County SheriffNew Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District SupervisorDistrict Attorney District 6See all 16 New Hanover County races
Candidate profiles
Amy Dunning, full profileWendy Dale, full profilePat Bradford, full profileJosie Barnhart, full profileChris Sutton, full profileBrittnei LaRue, full profileJerry Jones, Jr., full profileMargie Gewirtzman, full profileOfficial North Carolina election office