Voters in Carrboro will vote to elect a new mayor this November, choosing between business-owner and artist Mike Benson and Town Council member Damon Seils.
Lydia Lavelle, the current mayor of Carrboro, has served for the past eight years and will not be running for reelection. However, she's happy there are multiple candidates running for the spot.
"It provides an opportunity to explain to the community what they have been working on, what the current issues are and also to get out-and-about and hear from community members," Lavelle said.
Here's a look at the candidates:
Michael Benson
Benson was born and raised in Carrboro, and is a product of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. He has been a server and bartender for over three decades and restaurant owner for over 25 years.
“As a small business person, I come from a background of supporting small local businesses and being active in the community as a business person — raising money for schools and the (UNC)Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center," Benson said.
One of the reasons Benson was encouraged to run for mayor was to give citizens a choice on the ballot, since Seils was initially running unopposed. He said it's important to give community members a chance to make decisions about who represents them.
Some topics on Benson’s agenda include parking accessibility, affordable housing, alternative energy options and lowering taxes.
