Hillsborough elects commissioner as mayor, gets new face on town board
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A familiar face in town politics will be the new mayor of Hillsborough.
Voters elected Commissioner Mark Bell as mayor on Tuesday.
There was little drama involved, as Bell ran unopposed. He will succeed Mayor Jenn Weaver, who decided not to run for a third two-year term.
"I am honored to be elected as Hillsborough's next mayor and look forward to continuing to serve our community in this new role," Bell said. "Hillsborough residents are very engaged in the life of the town. This results in a very strong sense of place, which I will work with residents and our excellent town staff to maintain. I look forward to working with the Board of Commissioners and staff to serve Hillsborough."
A fresh face joins the town board. Meaghun Darab was the top unofficial vote-getter among four candidates in the town commissioners race.
"I'm very excited about the election results. I'm now able to exhale with the campaign finished," Darab said. "I look forward to working with the town staff, Mayor-Elect Bell and current Board of Commissioner members. I'm glad that my message resonated with voters, and I aim to be a considerate and thoughtful commissioner."
Darab has lived in Hillsborough for more than 10 years and has been involved in the community through PORCH Hillsborough, a volunteer-based hunger-relief organization, and with the parent-teacher association at her daughter's school.
Two commissioners won reelection. Commissioners Matt Hughes and Evelyn Lloyd were reelected to four-year terms. This will be Hughes' second full term and Lloyd's ninth.
Two other commissioners, Robb English and Kathleen Ferguson, were not up for reelection. They remain on the board through 2025.
The Orange County Board of Elections will announce official results after the board's canvass meeting Nov. 17.
The winning candidates will be sworn into office Dec. 11 during a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners at the Town Hall Annex on E. Corbin Street.
