StarNews Online, Meet the candidates: Pender County Board of Education

Demetrice has a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a master's degree in education administration from Grand Canyon University. She has three children. 

Demetrice is retired. She had a career in law enforcement and public education. 

WHQR, Pender and Onslow Election Results

Demetrice A. Keith served as County Commissioner in Pender County from 2015 to 2016. She previously ran for school board twice, but did not win.either race. 

As of June 14, 2024, Demetrice A. Keith did not have a website or any information online.

Public Services

Economy

Said "the key issues that I would like to focus on are school safety, teacher recruitment and retention, improving test scores among students, school infrastructure and broadband."

- Said "the key issues that I would like to focus on are school safety, teacher recruitment and retention, improving test scores among students, school infrastructure and broadband."

Education

Public Safety

Housing & Urban Development

Transportation & Infrastructure

Facebook

Instagram

Demetrice A. Keith

Food Bank Cenc

As of June 22, 2024, Ken Smith did not have a website and did not complete our questionnaire.

Pender K12

Ken Smith currently serves as a member of the Pender County Board of Education. He joined the Board in 2018 and is serving his second term. He previously served as Mayor of Atkinson.

As of June 14, 2024, Ken Smith did not have a website or any information online.

Youtube

Supports students, parents, and teachers.

- Supports students, parents, and teachers.

Wants to provide protection for citizens.

Wants to provide law enforcement with resources to help combat drug overdoses.

- Wants to provide protection for citizens.
- Supports law enforcement.
- Wants to provide law enforcement with resources to help combat drug overdoses.

Believes a Commissioner must be prepared for natural disasters and how to provide relief to citizens following disasters.

- Believes a Commissioner must be prepared for natural disasters and how to provide relief to citizens following disasters.

Ken Smith

- 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.