Columbus County School Board Elections Become Partisan | Winston–Salem News

North Carolina’s House just passed HB 116, flipping Columbus County’s school board elections from nonpartisan to partisan—candidates will now run under party banners—with a sweeping 105-5 vote. The change means board members will be elected every four years during general elections, with five seats apportioned by residency districts (excluding Whiteville). Current members will finish their terms, and vacancies will be filled until the next election. Though similar moves have been debated elsewhere, this shift aims to align local education leadership with broader political trends—but risks deepening division. The bill now heads to the Senate for approval before reaching the governor’s desk. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5dfc6063dcb300e5