Burlington’s municipal primaries may be over. But the contests for Burlington’s mayor and city council are just heating up – as are the fundraising efforts of the six candidates who remain in contention ahead of November’s general election.
The two finalists for Burlington’s mayor and the four contenders for the city’s two available council seats have all entered the homestretch of their respective contests with something of a financial second wind thanks to the donations they received in the closing weeks of their primary campaigns.
Many of these contributions are recorded in the financial disclosure reports that each of the six candidates submitted shortly before the city’s municipal primaries on October 5. These so called “pre-primary” filings cover the period between August 25 and September 20 and are, at the moment, the most up-to-date statement on each candidate’s financial status. These reports also indicate that some of the six were more active than others in soliciting funds immediately ahead of the primary.
Particularly busy during the pre-primary filing period was former county commissioner Bob Byrd, who took in 84 contributions worth a combined sum of $6,267.91 is his campaign to win one of the council’s two available seats. According to his financial disclosure report, these additional funds have brought Byrd’s total haul for the campaign to $17,367.91.
Although Byrd led the field in the sheer number of contributions he took in ahead of the primary, he nevertheless lagged behind Burlington’s former mayor Ronnie Wall in the overall value of his receipts during the latest filing period. According to his own pre-primary report, Wall accumulated $8,600 from 15 separate donors in his current bid for one of the council’s two regular seats, bringing his total receipts for the campaign to $43,670.
Wall’s pre-primary flurry of fundraising has put him ahead of incumbent councilman Harold Owen, who had previously led the city council race with the size of his war chest. Owen, for his part, added another $3,749 to his coffers during the pre-primary period, bringing his total for the campaign to $41,599.
Meanwhile, political newcomer Dejuana Bigelow took in $2,490 during the latest filing period, putting the cumulative worth of her war chest at $11,045. Yet, Bigelow’s fourth-place finish in fundraising didn’t exactly hurt her when the city’s voters went to the polls on October 5. In fact, Bigelow placed second behind Wall in the six-person contest, out-polling both Owen and Byrd, who finished third and fourth in the tally respectively, which has allowed them to advance to the general election.
A deficit in fundraising also proved no handicap for Burlington’s mayor Ian Baltutis, who narrowly led the field in the city’s mayoral primary on October 5.
According to Baltutis’ pre-primary disclosure report, the incumbent mayor raised $4,693.48 between August 25 and September 30 – more than half of which consisted of in-kind contributions from his own pocket. These pre-primary receipts brought the total value of Baltutis’ war chest to $32,094.09 – far less than the $50,885.69 amassed by current city councilman Jim Butler, his top rival for the office of mayor.
Butler, meanwhile, took in $6,900 during the pre-primary filing period. The current council member and aspiring mayor nevertheless finished the mayoral primary 12 votes behind Baltutis – albeit well ahead of the three other candidates for Burlington’s mayor.
Below are the particulars from the pre-primary reports of the six remaining contenders for Burlington’s city council and mayor.
Also included is additional information about the donors who have given each candidate over $50 – the threshold that the state of North Carolina has set for the mandatory itemization of campaign contributions. The state requires office seekers to divulge the names, addresses, professions and/or industries, as well as the donations amounts for any person or organization who meets the criteria for itemization. Each of these details has been replicated from the candidate’s own financial disclosure report.
Ian Baltutis
Burlington’s incumbent mayor Ian Baltutis raised $4,693.48 between August 25 and September 30, bringing his total receipts for the campaign to $32,094.09.
A self-employed business owner who resides at 702 West Davis Street, Baltutis himself bolstered his war chest with $2,403.48 in in-kind contributions during the latest filing period. According to his financial disclosure report, the incumbent mayor spent $400 out of pocket on advertising with Burlington Latino, $416.42 on various Facebook ads, $1,160 on stamps, and $427.06 on paper, labels, envelopes and other mailing supplies from Amazon.
Baltutis’ latest report also lists $285 in smaller contributions that don’t meet the threshold for itemization as well as larger donations from the following sources:
Don Chaplin, retired, 2602 Edgewood Avenue, Burlington, $105 ($210 for the campaign); Mark Heizer, realtor with HCO Properties, 935 Phils Creek Road, Chapel Hill, $250 ($500 for the campaign); Jefferson Holt, self-employed real estate investor, P.O. Box 1029 Carrboro, $500 ($2,000 for the campaign); North Carolina Democratic Party, P.O. Box 1926, Raleigh, $500 in kind for Votebuilder Access software; Jodean Schmiederer, administration with Elon University, 539 Parkview Drive, Burlington, $50 ($70 for the campaign);
Ken Smith, realtor with the Smith Carter Group, 503 Circle Drive, Burlington, $500; Phillip Smith, owner of the Oak House, 217 Shadowbrook Drive, Burlington, $100 ($150 for the campaign).
Jim Butler
Councilman and mayoral hopeful Jim Butler reported $6,900 in campaign contributions between August 25 and September 20. This sum, which brings Butler’s total for the campaign to $50,885.69, includes $50 in smaller contributions that didn’t meet the threshold for itemization. The auto dealership manager, who resides at 520 Meadowood Drive, also reported another $6,850 from the following specified donors:
Marshall Anderson, physician with Duke Health, 605 Meadowood Drive, Burlington, $200; Buddy Baker, retired from the city of Burlington, 810 Colonial Drive, Burlington, $100; Callum Brown, president of the Wilson Brown Sock Company, 1120 East Willowbrook Drive, Burlington, $200; David Felton, retired, 605 Fieldstone Drive, Burlington, $250; Jamie Grosso, sales representative with Hunt Electric Supply, 3022 Tanbark Court, Burlington, $250;
Rick Gunn, retired from the NC State Senate, P.O. Box 308, Burlington, $500; Frank Longest, attorney with Holt, Longest, Wall, Blaetz & Moseley, 3453 Forestdale Drive, Burlington, $100; John Love, president of W.E. Love & Associates, 536 Willowbrook Drive, Burlington, $5,000; Jeff Michel, vice president with Glen Raven, 814 Warwick Court, Burlington, $150; Melva Sharpe, community volunteer with Private Households, 603 Newbern Court, Burlington, $100.
Dejuana Warren Bigelow
Political newcomer Dejuana Bigelow received 36 contributions worth a combined sum of $2,490 between August 25 and September 20. Bigelow’s receipts during those 27 days have brought her total for the campaign to $11,045.
A healthcare administrator from 1710 Hanford Hills Road, Graham, Bigelow credits $740 of her receipts during the latest reporting period to smaller donations that don’t meet the threshold for itemization. Bigelow has also itemized another $1,750 in contributions from the following donors:
The Committee to Elect Jessica Holmes, 5530 Munford Road, Suite 150, Raleigh, $100; W. Jefferson Holt, self-employed real estate investor, P.O. Box 1029, Village Green Preservation Society, Carrboro, $1,300 ($4,300 for the campaign); Tanya S. Kline, social worker for the Alamance-Burlington school system, 1211 Brookview Drive, Elon, $100 ($200 for the campaign); Martha Shafer, not employed, 6508 Horseman Trail, Summerville, $150; Patsy Simpson, teacher, 547 Woodland Drive, Burlington, $100.
Bob Byrd
Former county commissioner Bob Byrd reported 84 contributions worth a combined sum of $6,267.91 for the period that ran from August 25 to September 20. This pre-primary haul has brought Byrd’s total receipts for the campaign to $17,367.91 – of which, $16,677.91 is attributed to the candidate himself (a possible error since Byrd’s other reported contributions far exceed the $690 that separate his own putative donations from the campaign’s total receipts).
Byrd’s latest financial disclosure report credits the candidate with three in-kind contributions. The retired healthcare administrator, who hails from 2826 Charlotte Lane in Burlington, reportedly spent $4.26 out of pocket for mailing labels, $116 for stamps, and $7.65 for another set of labels during the course of the latest filing period. His latest disclosure report also reports another $710 in smaller donations that don’t meet the threshold for itemization as well as some larger donations from the following individually identified supporters:
David Andes, not employed, 4005 Stoney Creek Church Road, Elon, $50 ($150 for the campaign); Jeffrey A. Andrews, retired, 818 Warwick Court, Burlington, $200 ($550 for the campaign); Benjamin R. Ansbacher, retired, 1132 West Davis Street, Burlington, $100; Salley S. Bradford, not employed, 2027 Westover Terrace, Burlington, $50 ($100 for the campaign); R. Keith Brady, retired, 5914-A Stoney Mountain Road, Burlington, $100 ($400 for the campaign);
Robert Chandler of the Chandler Concrete Company, 3240 Coventry Place, Burlington, $500 ($750 for the campaign); Thomas Chandler, Jr. of the Chandler Concrete Company, 2516 Pineway Drive, Burlington, $500 ($750 for the campaign); Don Chaplin, retired, 2602 Edgewood Avenue, Burlington, $100 ($200 for the campaign); Roslyn Crisp, self-employed dentist, 513 Meadowood Drive, Burlington, $250; Lynne Dillard, bookkeeper for Dave C. Dillard, P.O. Box 856, Graham, $100 ($300 for the campaign);
Catherine Dusenberry, retired, 7487 Danford Road Burlington, $100 ($200 for the campaign); Sean Ewing, engineer with Volvo Group Trucks, 304 Stratford Drive, Mebane, $150 ($275 for the campaign); Dianne Ford, librarian with Elon University, 5645 Jewell Road, Graham, $100; Marilyn Fox, retired, 111 Trinity Drive, Elon, $50 ($100 for the campaign); Edmund Gant, retired, 1903 Sunnybrook Drive, Burlington, $500 ($1,500 for the campaign);
Mark Heizer, realtor with H-CO Properties, P.O. Box 162, Carrboro, $250; Ann Honeycutt, retired, 2967 Maple Avenue, Burlington, $100 ($250 for the campaign); Chester Honeycutt, retired, 2967 Maple Avenue, Burlington, $100; Steven House, professor at Elon University, 2514 Saddle Club Road, Burlington, $100 ($250 for the campaign); Scott Hrinko, engineer with General Dynamics Mission Systems, 706 Meadowood Drive, Burlington, $45 ($94 for the campaign);
Anna Jefferson, self-employed ocularist, 2103 Edgewood Avenue, Burlington, $100; Henry Johnson, retired, 2 Laurel Oak Drive, Elon, $100; Stevenson Lupton, Jr., self-employed attorney, 2900 Turner Grove Drive North, Greensboro, $35 ($85 for the campaign); C. Edward McCauley, retired, 168 Lakewood Court, Burlington, $100;
Jesse McNiel, retired, 2281 Lakeview Terrace, Burlington, $150 ($250 for the campaign); Lynn Moseley, retired, 1442 Old Coach Road, Graham, $50 ($100 for the campaign); W. Phillip Moseley, attorney with Holt, Longest, Wall, Blaetz & Moseley, 1442 Old Coach Road, Graham, $50 ($100 for the campaign); Wanda Newlin, retired, 713 Roxboro Street, Haw River, $50 ($150 for the campaign); Joseph Pardue, insurance for HUB International, 2401 Oakwood Drive, Burlington, $75 ($150 for the campaign);
June F. Reid, retired, 2912 South Fairway Drive, Burlington, $50 ($150 for the campaign); Elsie Rogers, customer service for Carolina Biological Supply, 755 Sharpe Road, Burlington, $100; Mary Ryan, housewife, 1049 West Front Street, Burlington, $50 ($100 for the campaign); William J. Ryan, self-employed psychiatrist, 1049 West Front Street, Burlington, $50 ($100 for the campaign); Charles Scott, retired, 2126-A West Front Street, Burlington, $50 ($250 for the campaign);
Bruce Shields, retired, 506 North Gurney Street, Burlington, $50 ($100 for the campaign); Phillip Smith, self-employed, P.O. Box 652, Elon, $150 ($200 for the campaign); Priscilla Starling, retired, 2507 Elderwood Lane, Burlington, $100 ($200 for the campaign); Eva Stockard, retired, 2010 Sweet Bay Circle, Burlington, $50 ($100 for the campaign); William Stockard, retired, 2010 Sweet Bay Circle, Burlington, $50 ($100 for the campaign);
Leonorah Stout, retired, 2020 Sullivan Park Circle, Burlington, $200 ($1,200 for the campaign); Ronald Sturgill, retired, 4114 Cashell Court, Burlington, $250; Ann Vaughan, retired, 117 Cornwallis Court, Mebane, $50 ($150 for the campaign); John Walker, physician with the Kernodle Clinic, 826 Warwick Court, Burlington, $25 ($75 for the campaign); David R. Williams, retired, 1406 Victoria Court, Elon, $95 ($140 for the campaign).
Harold Owen
Burlington’s retired city manager and a member of its city council since 2017, Harold Owen reported $3,749 receipts for the pre-primary filing period, bringing his total for the entire campaign to $41,599. During this period, the resident of 223 Engleman Avenue received $49 in smaller contributions that didn’t meet the threshold for itemization. He also reported another $3,700 in campaign receipts from the following named sources:
Christina Beck, doctor with Duke Health, 1014 Bianco Drive, Raleigh, $600; Walter Brown, manufacturer with Brown Dog Hosiery, 1120 East Willowbrook Drive, Burlington, $100; F.D. Hornaday III, manufacturer with Knit-Wear Fabrics, Inc., P.O. Box 790, Burlington, $500; Mark Jones, entrepreneur with Buffalo Wild Wings, 7796 Classics Drive, Naples, Florida, $500; Frank Longest, attorney with Holt, Longest, Wall, Blaetz & Moseley, 3453 Forestdale Drive, Burlington, $100;
NC Fire Rescue Innovative Solutions, 3140 Abington Place, Burlington, $50; W.T. Pate, realtor with Pate Real Estate, 2228 Walker Avenue, Burlington, $250; Richard H. Shirley, Jr., retired, 2208 West Front Street, Burlington, $500; William Smith, financial planner with the Trust Company of the South, 905 Sunset Drive, Greensboro, $1,000; Larry Ware, financial planner with Envision Wealth Partners, 207 Brompton Court, Burlington, $100.
Ronnie Wall
Burlington’s former mayor and a current candidate for the city council, Ronnie Wall led the field in fundraising during the filing period that ran from August 25 through September 20. During those 27 days, Wall took in some $8,600, bringing the total size of his campaign war chest to $43,670.
According to Wall’s latest financial disclosure report, the former mayor, who resides at 613 Meadowood Drive, received $50 in smaller contributions that didn’t meet the threshold for itemization. Wall also identified the following donors who contributed larger sums to his campaign:
Steven Herbert Andrews, real estate investor, P.O. Box 6, Altamahaw, $500; William G. Andrews, retired, 3242 Altamahaw Racetrack Road, Elon, $500; Robert B. Chandler, businessman with Chandler Concrete, 3240 Coventry Place, Burlington, $500; Thomas E. Chandler, businessman with Chandler Concrete, 2516 Pineway Drive, Burlington, $500; Mark A. Jones, attorney with Vernon, Vernon, Wooten & Brown, 4346 Nile Valley Drive, Burlington, $500;
Lisa F. Kirkpatrick, owner of real estate properties, 2040 Engleman Court, Burlington, $500; Ernest A. Koury, Jr., businessman, P.O. Box 850, Burlington, $2,000; Mary Ann Koury, retired, 510 Engleman Avenue, Burlington, $1,000; Frank Longest, attorney with Holt, Longest, Wall, Blaetz & Moseley, 3453 Forestdale Drive, $100; Barbara Mantz, retired, 1003 Dunleigh Drive, Burlington, $100;
W.T. Pate, owner of Pate Real Estate, 2228 Walker Avenue, Burlington, $250; Melva Sharpe, retired, 603 Newbern Court, Burlington, $100; William H. Smith, businessman in the investments trade, 905 Sunset Drive, Greensboro, $1,000; Ray T. Womack, owner of Womack Electric Supply, 2310 Hickory Avenue, Burlington, $1,000.
Wall also named a number of other donors in an earlier financial disclosure report that wasn’t readily available until after the primary. This so-called 35-day report, which covered a period from July 27 to August 24, was filed on time with the local elections office but wasn’t posted online until earlier this week. The following 15 donors are identified in that report:
James A. Barnwell, Jr., retired, 2909 North Fairway Drive, Burlington, $3,000; Rhonda Brown, retired, 21 Lands End Drive, Greensboro, $1,500; Vee S. Chandler, homemaker, 2415 Saddle Club Drive, Burlington, $500; James D. Coble, retired, P.O. Box 1154 Burlington, $1,500; Craig Durham, businessman, 1923 Delaine Drive, Burlington, $1,000;
Albert Lee Freeman, retired, 1888 Fairfield Drive, Burlington, $1,300; Allen E. Gant, Jr., businessman with Glen Raven, 1022 West Davis Street, Burlington, $4,000; Sam Hunt IV, owner of Hunt Electric, 3201 North Fairway Drive, Burlington, $3,000; Victoria S. Hunt, housewife, 1218 West Davis Street, Burlington, $3,000; Elizabeth L. Long, retired marketing executive, 2108 White Oak Road, Raleigh, $1,000;
James C. McGill, retired from banking, 1915 West Lake Drive, Burlington, $1,000; Lisa W. Nichols, owner of auto dealership, 508 Truitt Drive, Elon, $5,000; Bynum D. Sharpe, Sr., owner of auto dealership, 2432 North Church Street, Burlington, $1,000; Rodney D. Sharpe, retired, 1918 Woodhue Drive, Burlington, $100; Dale A. Stearns, owner of auto dealership, 100 Turnbury Place, Elon, $2,500.
