BURLINGTON MAYOR
(Voters may select one)
Beth Kennett
Full name: (Elizabeth) Beth Kennett.
Nickname, if any: Beth
Born: Date of birth: July 25, 1964.
Place of birth: Monroe, Anson County, NC.
Education: Chesterfield High School, South Carolina, 1982; B.A. in Music Education and Flute Performance, Gardner-Webb College, 1986; M.Div, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989;
Military service: NA.
Occupation/place of employment: Director, Center for Congregational Health, Atrium Health–Wake Forest Baptist.
Family: Spouse: Jay Kennett, married 34 years.
Children: Abi Kennett, 31, Burlington; Emma Kennett, 28, Burlington.
Religion/church affiliation: Ordained ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ
Organizations: Burlington Traffic Commission, 2024 – present; Morrowtown Community Garden, 2023 – present; Impact Alamance Community Engagement, 2022 – present; Alamance County Democratic Party, 2006 – present; Down Home NC, We are Down Home Alamance, 2017 – present.
Political career: Candidate for Mayor of Burlington, 2023; Candidate for Alamance Burlington Board of Education, 2008.
Address: 324 West Willowbrook Drive, Burlington
Ronnie K. Wall
Full name: Ronnie Keith Wall.
Nickname, if any: —
Born: Date of birth: February 11, 1957.
Place of birth: Burlington
Education: Cummings High School, 1975; B.S. in Industrial Education, NC State University, 1979; M.S. in Safety & Driver Education, A&T State University, 1983; M.S. in Educational Administration, A&T State University, 1985.
Military service: None.
Occupation/place of employment: The Burlington School, Head Master.
Family: Spouse: Susie B. Wall, married 22 years.
Children: Ann John-son, 38, Burlington; Maggie Pinson, 35, Wil-mington.
Religion/church affiliation: First Baptist, downtown.
Organizations: Burlington City Council, 2021-2025; NAIS – National Association of Independent Schools; NCAIS, NC Association of Independent Schools; Southern Association of Independent Schools.
Political career: City Council, 6 years; Mayor, 8 years; NC Department of Transportation, appoint-ed by the Governor; President of the NC League of Municipalities; Executive Committee of the NC League of Municipalities; NC Metropolitan Mayors Coalition; Piedmont Triad Council of Governments, Executive Committee; Alamance County Mayors’ Committee for Persons with Disabilities; Piedmont Authority of Regional Transportation Board of Trustees Planning and Services Legislative Committee.
Address: 613 Meadowood Drive, Burlington.
BURLINGTON CITY COUNCIL
(Voters may select 2)
Ian Baltutis
Full name: Ian Baltutis.
Nickname, if any: NA.
Born: Date of birth: August 10, 1985.
Place of birth: Minneapolis, Hennipen County, Minnesota.
Education: Washburn Senior High School, 2004; B.S. Business Administration: Entrepreneurship & Minor: Journalism and Communications, Elon University, 2008; Master’s of City and Regional Planning: Transportation, UNC – Chapel Hill, 2024.
Military service: NA.
Occupation/place of employment: Inventor & Entrepreneur – The Vibration Solution, LLC.
Family: Spouse: NA.
Children: NA.
Religion/church affiliation: Unitarian Universalist.
Organizations: Alamance Chamber of Commerce; Experimental Aircraft Association – Volunteer; Elon University Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Advisory Board Member; Old North State Boy Scout Council – Eagle Scout; Rotary Club International.
Political career: City of Burlington – Mayor, 6 years, 3 terms, 2015, 2017, & 2019.
Address: 702 West Davis Street, Burlington.
Harold Owen
Full name: Harold Thomas Owen.
Nickname, if any: —
Born: Date of birth: June 5, 1953.
Place of birth : Oxford, Granville County
Education: B.S., NC State University, 1975; Masters of Public Administration, UNC – Greensboro, 1989.
Military service: None.
Occupation/place of employment: N.C. League of Municipalities.
Family: Spouse: Denane, married 45 years.
Children: Christine Owen Beelz, 43; Constance Owen McCall, 38.
Religion/church affiliation: Baptist.
Organizations: NC State Alumni Association; UNC-Greensboro Alumni Association; ACTA Board of Directors.
Political career: Elected to Burlington City Council in 2017 and re-elected to City Council in 2021.
Address: 223 Engleman Avenue, Burlington
Jeffrey Smythe
Full name: John Jeffrey Smythe.
Nickname, if any: Answer to Jeff or Jeffrey.
Born: Date of birth: 08/23/1964
Place of birth: Philadelphia, PA.
Education: B.S., Criminal Justice Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, May 1991; Police Management Certificate, Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, AZ, December 1997; Masters of Education, Educational Leadership, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, December 2000; Graduate, School of Police Staff and Command, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, April 2007, Received Kreml Leadership award (student-voted); Graduate, FBI National Academy, Quantico, VA, March 2011, Elected President of my section.
Military service: N/A.
Occupation/place of employment: NC DOJ, Director of the Criminal Justice Standards Division.
Family: Spouse: Kimberly L. Smythe, married 25 years.
Children: Christopher Henny, 34, Mesa AZ; Hayley Smythe, 28, Burlington; Jacquelin Smythe, 22, Burlington.
Religion/church affiliation: Christian.
Organizations: Commissioner for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.; President 2024-2025, International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training; North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police – Lifetime Member, former Vice President; Police Executive Research Forum, Lifetime Member; International Association of Chiefs of Police, Lifetime Member.
Political career: None.
Address: 1025 Valley-dale Drive, Burlington.
Donna M. Vanhook
Full name: Donna Vanhook.
Nickname, if any: —
Born: Date of birth:
Place of birth:
Education: Southern Alamance High School, 1986; A.A.S. in Criminal Justice, Alamance Community College, 1991; B.A. in Religious Studies/Minor in Human Services, Elon University, 2007; Master of Divinity, Shaw University Divinity School 2010; M.A. in Nonprofit Management, High Point University, 2015.
Military service: —
Occupation/place of employment: Retired.
Family: Spouse: —
Children: —
Religion/church affiliation: United Church of Christ.
Organizations: ARCAP Community Action Agency, Board Member; Burlington Community Land Trust, Program Committee Chair; Eastern NC Association of Southern Conference United Church of Christ, Board Member; United Way, Advocacy Committee Co-Chair and Housing Advisory Board Member.
Political career: Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, elected 2022.
Address: 317 Caswell Street #8, Burlington.
