Rachel Jordan, District D candidate for Cary Town Council
There are three contested races for Cary Town Council this year.
Typically, municipal elections are held in odd-numbered years, and the mayor and all eight council members serve four years.
This year, the mayor, one at-large seat, District B and District D, are on the ballot, while the remaining at-large seat, District A and District C, will be elected in 2025.
For the at-large seat, incumbent Lori Bush faces challengers Mary Inspruker and Matthew Gronke.
District B incumbent Don Frantz faces Michelle Craig. District D incumbent Ryan Eades faces Sarika Bansal and Rachel Jordan.
Mayor Harold Weinbrecht is running unopposed.
Early voting runs through Oct. 7. Election Day is Oct. 10.
To find polling places and full details on early voting, visit the Board of Elections at wake.gov or 919-404-4040.
Name: Rachel Jordan
Age: 45
Residence: Cary
Occupation and Employer: I have been fortunate to work as a homemaker and volunteer. Prior to that, I taught English and worked as a sommelier.
Education: BA and MA in English Literature, Clemson University, Clemson, SC Certified Sommelier, The Court of Master Sommeliers
Political or civic experience: I have worked with the Democratic Party since 2008 when I volunteered for President Obama’s primary campaign. Since arriving in Cary, I have been a Democratic precinct chair and the Alson Ridge PTA cultural arts representative.
Campaign website: rachelforcary.com
Why you are running to serve Cary? Why should voters trust you with this position?
I have had family in the Triangle for most of my life and watched the incredible way it has changed. And yet, I only moved here seven years ago. I believe that these two perspectives — that of both the newcomer and someone familiar with Cary — give me a unique ability to chart our future.
I care about this town, and I have a record that makes that concern obvious. From nearly the moment I arrived, I have been working to make Cary better. I started on the PTA at my daughter’s school and grew into an involvement with the Democratic Party that has grown into this candidacy. I am not running to satisfy my own ambition. I am running because I sincerely believe my experience and effort can make Cary a better place for all of us. I believe my values align with the citizens of Cary, and I am eager to be a part of the change that brings a more thoughtful, progressive leadership to town government.
What is Cary doing right to manage the town’s growth? If elected, what changes would you propose?
Cary is doing many things right. I love the beautiful greenways and parks we have. We are working on our first town-sponsored affordable housing. We have made great strides on adding solar to our town buildings. However, these initiatives are generally more the exception than the rule and often lack cohesion.
As a council member I would like to focus on closing the gaps. Sometimes these gaps are literal — as in our greenway system (which I love) but that stops just a bit short of being great. Cary often has gorgeous greenways as amenities in neighborhoods, but does not connect them over major roads with useful crosswalks. I find such gaps concerning for safety reasons, but they also mean that we are putting lots of effort and money into greenways that are not useful as transit connections.
Many people who have lived here say they can no longer afford rent or struggle to own a home. What must Cary do for established and new residents to live here comfortably?
Cary has both a higher median household income and more expensive housing costs than much of Wake County, but we use the same formulas for determining who is eligible for housing assistance. This needs to change so that Healthy Homes Cary can help more people.
Some residents have expressed concern about the rapid growth of Cary amid changes like the potential redevelopment of the Town Hall campus, more nightlife and other projects. How can Cary grow, especially downtown, without losing its community character?
The simple answer to this is planning. Cary will change. We live in a dynamic, diverse, rapidly growing town, and we must do our best to anticipate the effects of those changes. An excellent example of this is the downtown parking garage. Cary town government accurately predicted that downtown would become busier and more parking would be required. So, we must plan for parking, transportation, and public safety with any development projects. And, in the larger sense, we do things like support affordable housing initiatives to protect the character of our community.
What must Cary do to become more inclusive of marginalized residents, including African Americans, people of color, immigrants, poor or working class, and the LGBTQ+ community?
I am proud of our diverse community here in Cary and how lucky I feel to be raising my daughter in this place. But that feeling of good fortune does not blind me to the work we still need to do, especially on the government side. I am proud that Cary celebrates Pride and has a non-discrimination ordinance, but these things came embarrassingly late. I want Cary to be a leader on issues of inclusion. Part of that is providing affordable housing, but there are many other areas where we can improve. These include offering government services in languages other than English, initiating outreach to marginalized communities, and expanding our library system to provide greater technology access to our less-privileged citizens. I would also like to continue Representative Ya Liu’s work on bringing an Asian botanical garden to Cary.
How can Cary continue to expand and protect its parks, greenways and environment?
It is almost impossible for a town to grow and become a destination like Cary does while remaining livable without prioritizing parks, greenways and the environment. For instance, greenways and parks help to reduce vehicle traffic and congestion. There are similar knock-on effects with environmental work to protect our tree canopy and encourage solar-power installations. These things directly impact local heat effects and air pollution, making it far more likely that we can manage building transit and help combat global climate change.
What three issues would you focus on in office that others might not? Why are they important for Cary?
I am primarily focused on equitable growth, environmental resilience, building a connected community, and — overarchingly — building policies that work for success across these domains.
I believe these goals will ensure a bright future for Cary.
What specific life experiences or skills have prepared you for town governance?
The skills I have that are most relevant to town governance are my love of research, especially when it comes to city planning, and my interest in hearing perspectives and stories from all different kinds of people.
Please make note of any endorsements you’ve received that you consider to be important.
Wake County Democratic Party
Equality NC, equalitync.org
Carissa Kohn-Johnson, Cary Town Council
Lindsay Mahaffey, chair Wake County school board
Rep. Maria Cervania, NC House
Anne Robotti, Morrisville Town Council
If you have any other goals or issues that you’d like to address, please do so here.
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