Chapelboro, Marilyn Carter Files to Run for Orange County District 1 Seat

Marilyn attended SUNY Stony Brook, where she earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, and later a master's degree in engineering from Duke University. She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband, Mehdi and their twin daughters. She served as Chair of the Orange County Democratic Party from 2019 to 2021.

Marilyn is an electrical engineer with nearly 30 years of experience, and has worked at IBM Corporation and later at Cisco Systems in operations and senior management. Throughout her career, she has been involved in developing strategic plans, balancing revenue and costs, and ensuring excellent customer service.

Marilyn Carter's campaign for the Orange County Board of Commissioners is her first run for public office.

Candidate website

Believes the arts foster community engagement and social cohesion. Said, "The Orange County Arts Commission is one of very few local arts agencies housed within county government within the state of North Carolina."

Believes the arts foster community engagement and social cohesion, saying, "The Orange County Arts Commission is one of very few local arts agencies housed within county government within the state of North Carolina."

Believes county services must be accessible to all community members and supports outreach to those who lack time or trust to engage. Plans to "bring the Commission to the community."

Believes county services must be accessible to all community members and supports outreach to those who lack time or trust to engage, and plans to "bring the Commission to the community."

Believes in building inclusive communities to ensure equitable outcomes. Said, "That’s exactly what County Government is all about too."

Believes in building inclusive communities to ensure equitable outcomes, saying, "That’s exactly what County Government is all about too."

Believes in building a diverse talent pipeline of volunteers for community service roles. Said, "many of whom went on to serve our community on boards, councils, and in elected office."

Believes in building a diverse talent pipeline of volunteers for community service roles, saying, "Many of whom went on to serve our community on boards, councils, and in elected office."

Believes the County is responsible for essential services like trash pick-up, animal control, flu vaccines, and well water testing.

Believes the county is responsible for essential services like trash pick-up, animal control, flu vaccines, and well water testing.

Believes public services enhance community life through public art, county parks, libraries, and senior centers.

Supports arts programs that enhance cultural vibrancy and highlight local talent through initiatives like the Grassroots Arts Program and Artist Project Grants.

Believes county services impact everyone and emphasizes the importance of ensuring every community member is heard.

Believes in "bringing the Commission to the community" to enhance public services like libraries, parks, recreation, and community building.

- Believes the arts foster community engagement and social cohesion, saying, "The Orange County Arts Commission is one of very few local arts agencies housed within county government within the state of North Carolina."
- Believes county services must be accessible to all community members and supports outreach to those who lack time or trust to engage, and plans to "bring the Commission to the community."
- Believes in building inclusive communities to ensure equitable outcomes, saying, "That’s exactly what County Government is all about too."
- Believes in building a diverse talent pipeline of volunteers for community service roles, saying, "Many of whom went on to serve our community on boards, councils, and in elected office."
- Believes the county is responsible for essential services like trash pick-up, animal control, flu vaccines, and well water testing.
- Believes public services enhance community life through public art, county parks, libraries, and senior centers.
- Supports arts programs that enhance cultural vibrancy and highlight local talent through initiatives like the Grassroots Arts Program and Artist Project Grants.
- Believes county services impact everyone and emphasizes the importance of ensuring every community member is heard.
- Believes in "bringing the Commission to the community" to enhance public services like libraries, parks, recreation, and community building.

Public Services

Believes economic growth can create living wage jobs and reduce reliance on residential property taxes while considering residents' needs and environmental impact.

Believes in a thoughtful, community-informed approach to balanced economic growth. Plans to address labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulation with community input.

Believes in a thoughtful, community-informed approach to balanced economic growth, and plans to address labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulation with community input.

- Believes economic growth can create living wage jobs and reduce reliance on residential property taxes while considering residents' needs and environmental impact.
- Believes in a thoughtful, community-informed approach to balanced economic growth, and plans to address labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulation with community input.

Economy

Believes in reducing the opportunity gap, supporting diverse programming for all students, and maintaining future-proofed educational facilities.

Believes every student deserves public schools that provide a great education in a healthy and safe learning environment "from cradle to career."

Believes in ensuring access to mental health and behavioral health services for children and young adults to help them achieve their fullest potential.

- Believes in reducing the opportunity gap, supporting diverse programming for all students, and maintaining future-proofed educational facilities.
- Believes every student deserves public schools that provide a great education in a healthy and safe learning environment "from cradle to career."
- Believes in ensuring access to mental health and behavioral health services for children and young adults to help them achieve their fullest potential.

Education

Supports evidence-based harm reduction, addiction treatment, and substance use prevention. Plans to back pre-arrest diversion and medication-assisted treatment for detainees.

Supports evidence-based harm reduction, addiction treatment, and substance use prevention, and plans to back pre-arrest diversion and medication-assisted treatment for detainees.

Supports connecting people to care for opioid use disorder with funds from the historic Opioid Settlement deal.

Believes the County should provide reliable public safety services, including emergency housing assistance, the 911 call center, and first responders.

Believes in "Caring for Community Members Affected by Opioid Use Disorder."

Believes in "caring for community members affected by opioid use disorder."

- Supports evidence-based harm reduction, addiction treatment, and substance use prevention, and plans to back pre-arrest diversion and medication-assisted treatment for detainees.
- Supports connecting people to care for opioid use disorder with funds from the historic Opioid Settlement deal.
- Believes the County should provide reliable public safety services, including emergency housing assistance, the 911 call center, and first responders.
- Believes in "caring for community members affected by opioid use disorder."

Public Safety

Believes everyone has the right to affordable, safe housing, which is crucial for health and educational outcomes.

Believes in elevating community voices in housing and urban development planning. As a Planning Board member, collaborates with county staff and leaders to develop the Orange County Land Use Plan 2050.

Believes in elevating community voices in housing and urban development planning, and as a Planning Board member, collaborates with county staff and leaders to develop the Orange County Land Use Plan 2050.

Believes in elevating the voices of marginalized communities early in urban planning processes. Engages with community leaders to ensure inclusive development.

Believes in elevating the voices of marginalized communities early in urban planning processes, and engages with community leaders to ensure inclusive development.

Believes in "Inclusive Land Use Planning" to address affordable housing, homelessness, property taxes, permitting, zoning, and development.

Believes "Housing as a Human Right" and supports policies addressing affordable housing, homelessness, property taxes, permitting, zoning, and development.

Believes in building pathways to participation to ensure every voice is heard in housing and urban development planning. Plans to involve the community in the development and adoption of the Land Use plan.

Believes in building pathways to participation to ensure every voice is heard in housing and urban development planning, and plans to involve the community in the development and adoption of the Land Use plan.

- Believes everyone has the right to affordable, safe housing, which is crucial for health and educational outcomes.
- Believes in elevating community voices in housing and urban development planning, and as a Planning Board member, collaborates with county staff and leaders to develop the Orange County Land Use Plan 2050.
- Believes in elevating the voices of marginalized communities early in urban planning processes, and engages with community leaders to ensure inclusive development.
- Believes in "Inclusive Land Use Planning" to address affordable housing, homelessness, property taxes, permitting, zoning, and development.
- Believes "Housing as a Human Right" and supports policies addressing affordable housing, homelessness, property taxes, permitting, zoning, and development.
- Believes in building pathways to participation to ensure every voice is heard in housing and urban development planning, and plans to involve the community in the development and adoption of the Land Use plan.

Housing & Urban Development

The candidate's website says, "Broadband internet access is critical to your ability to work and learn anywhere you live. The Lumos/ARPA Broadband Project is underway to bring high-speed internet to rural Orange County."

Said, "Broadband internet access is critical to your ability to work and learn anywhere you live."

- Said, "Broadband internet access is critical to your ability to work and learn anywhere you live."

Transportation & Infrastructure

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Marilyn Carter

Marilyn Carter grew up in a family where her mother was a nurse and her father was an electrical lineman and union member. She attended SUNY Stony Brook, where she earned a BS in Electrical Engineering, and later earned an MS in Engineering from Duke University. Marilyn has been a resident of Orange County since 1998 and has raised twin daughters in Chapel Hill with her husband, Mehdi. There is no information available about the church she attends.

Marilyn Carter is an electrical engineer with nearly 30 years of experience, having worked at IBM Corporation in San Jose, CA, and later at Cisco Systems where she progressed into operations and senior management. She holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from SUNY Stony Brook and an MS in Engineering from Duke University. Throughout her career, she has been involved in developing strategic plans, balancing revenue and costs, and ensuring excellent customer service.

Marilyn Carter served as Chair of the Orange County Democratic Party from 2019 to 2021. She is a member of the Orange County Planning Board and has held leadership roles within the local Democratic Party, including First Vice Chair. Previously, she was President of the Democratic Women of Orange County. She is currently running for District 1 County Commissioner in Orange County.

The candidate's website says, "The Board of County Commissioners is making plans now that will guide Orange County through 2050. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance local progress and equity."

- Believes the arts foster community engagement and social cohesion. Said, "The Orange County Arts Commission is one of very few local arts agencies housed within county government within the state of North Carolina."
- Believes county services must be accessible to all community members and supports outreach to those who lack time or trust to engage. Plans to "bring the Commission to the community."
- Believes in building inclusive communities to ensure equitable outcomes. Said, "That’s exactly what County Government is all about too."
- Believes in building a diverse talent pipeline of volunteers for community service roles. Said, "many of whom went on to serve our community on boards, councils, and in elected office."
- Believes the County is responsible for essential services like trash pick-up, animal control, flu vaccines, and well water testing.
- Believes public services enhance community life through public art, county parks, libraries, and senior centers.
- Supports arts programs that enhance cultural vibrancy and highlight local talent through initiatives like the Grassroots Arts Program and Artist Project Grants.
- The candidate's website says, "The Board of County Commissioners is making plans now that will guide Orange County through 2050. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance local progress and equity."
- Believes county services impact everyone and emphasizes the importance of ensuring every community member is heard.
- Believes in "bringing the Commission to the community" to enhance public services like libraries, parks, recreation, and community building.

- Believes economic growth can create living wage jobs and reduce reliance on residential property taxes while considering residents' needs and environmental impact.
- Believes in a thoughtful, community-informed approach to balanced economic growth. Plans to address labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulation with community input.

The candidate's website says, "The County Commission funds our two school systems and our community college. It sets our property tax rate. It decides where and how we can build in the county and how we roll out broadband access."

- Believes in reducing the opportunity gap, supporting diverse programming for all students, and maintaining future-proofed educational facilities.
- Believes every student deserves public schools that provide a great education in a healthy and safe learning environment "from cradle to career."
- The candidate's website says, "The County Commission funds our two school systems and our community college. It sets our property tax rate. It decides where and how we can build in the county and how we roll out broadband access."
- Believes in ensuring access to mental health and behavioral health services for children and young adults to help them achieve their fullest potential.

Believes in supporting public safety services like emergency housing assistance, the 911 call center, and first responders.

- Supports evidence-based harm reduction, addiction treatment, and substance use prevention. Plans to back pre-arrest diversion and medication-assisted treatment for detainees.
- Supports connecting people to care for opioid use disorder with funds from the historic Opioid Settlement deal.
- Believes the County should provide reliable public safety services, including emergency housing assistance, the 911 call center, and first responders.
- Believes in "Caring for Community Members Affected by Opioid Use Disorder."
- Believes in supporting public safety services like emergency housing assistance, the 911 call center, and first responders.

Believes the Land Use Plan for Orange County 2050 should address residents' diverse needs and reflect the community's progressive values.

Plans to make affordable housing available to every Orange County resident through a multi-pronged approach.

The candidate's website says, "Inclusive Land Use Planning"

Believes housing is a human right and supports policies addressing affordable housing, homelessness, property taxes, permitting, zoning, and development.

- Believes everyone has the right to affordable, safe housing, which is crucial for health and educational outcomes.
- Believes in elevating community voices in housing and urban development planning. As a Planning Board member, collaborates with county staff and leaders to develop the Orange County Land Use Plan 2050.
- Believes in elevating the voices of marginalized communities early in urban planning processes. Engages with community leaders to ensure inclusive development.
- Believes in "Inclusive Land Use Planning" to address affordable housing, homelessness, property taxes, permitting, zoning, and development.
- Believes "Housing as a Human Right" and supports policies addressing affordable housing, homelessness, property taxes, permitting, zoning, and development.
- Believes the Land Use Plan for Orange County 2050 should address residents' diverse needs and reflect the community's progressive values.
- Believes in building pathways to participation to ensure every voice is heard in housing and urban development planning. Plans to involve the community in the development and adoption of the Land Use plan.
- Plans to make affordable housing available to every Orange County resident through a multi-pronged approach.
- The candidate's website says, "Inclusive Land Use Planning"
- Believes housing is a human right and supports policies addressing affordable housing, homelessness, property taxes, permitting, zoning, and development.

- The candidate's website says, "Broadband internet access is critical to your ability to work and learn anywhere you live. The Lumos/ARPA Broadband Project is underway to bring high-speed internet to rural Orange County."

- County Commissioners create and pass laws at the county-level. These laws show up in very tangible ways, such as determining how much you pay property and sales tax rates, public transportation, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners are responsible for preparing and passing the county budget. The budget determines how much funding goes to various public services, such as public transportation, law enforcement, repairing roads, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners oversee the administrative duties of your county’s government to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of county residents.
- County Commissioners can create, change, or abolish offices, positions, departments that are not required by law. 
- County Commissioners are elected to 4-year terms, with no term limits. Typically, you only vote for the County Commissioner that represents your county commission district.