Councilman Hugh Holston, former City Manager Denise Turner Roth and Greensboro Sports Foundation President Richard Beard were the top vote-getters in Greensboro’s at-large primary on Tuesday.
Holston led the pack in the field of 10 candidates, receiving 8,714 votes (15.79% of total vote) with all precincts reporting Tuesday.
He was followed by former City Manager Denise Turner Roth, who received 7,841 votes (14.21%) and Greensboro Sports Foundation President Richard Beard with 7,598 (13.77%). All results are unofficial until the Guilford County Board of Elections completes canvassing next week.
Incumbent Councilwoman Jamilla Pinder, community organizer Irving Allen and Guilford County school board member and former Councilwoman T. Dianne Bellamy-Small rounded out the field of six candidates who will advance to the general election.
Pinder finished fourth in the field with 6,569 votes (11.91%), followed by Allen with 6,064 votes (10.99%) and Bellamy-Small with 5,159 votes (9.35%).
Bellamy-Small was in a close race with business consultant Carla Franklin for the sixth spot. Bellamy-Small finished ahead of Franklin by just 51 votes.
Piedmont Business Capital CEO Michael McKinney, neuroscientist LaToya Gathers and former A&T State University employee Samuel Hawkins also ran in the at-large race but will not advance to the general.
Holston did not respond to a request for comment asking about his election win on Tuesday.
Richard Beard said in a text that he was “pleased to be in the top three of the at-large race.”
Beard said that his “passion remains to serve Greensboro as a true nonpartisan in a nonpartisan election.”
“Greensboro has a great future ahead with so many job opportunities coming and opportunities for our younger generations,” Beard continued. “We must prepare and come together as a community to take full advantage of the best economic outlook in my lifetime.”
Roth said in an interview Tuesday evening that she attributed her win to her record of work in the community.
Asked about what message she hopes to send to voters in the coming weeks, Roth replied: “I think it’s just that I’m ready to lead and have the experience to really help us through these next stages.”
Roth also had praise for the other candidates who ran for office.
“I think it really says a lot about Greensboro, the strong quality of candidates that we have across the board, that we have to choose from,” Roth said. “I hope voters continue to pay attention and continue to come out to vote and let their voices be heard going into the general.”
A look at the winners
The at-large field will include several candidates who have never previously held public office.
Richard Beard, 63, serves as the president of the Greensboro Sports Foundation.
Beard has pointed to his background in areas such as business, real estate and recreation gives him the experience needed to help manage the economic growth the area is expected to experience in the coming years.
“Greensboro has had a historic run in economic development with the recruitment of Toyota, Boom Supersonic, Marshall Aerospace, JetZero and many other companies,” Beard said in a questionnaire. “It is imperative Greensboro strategically plans and executes smart growth policies to capitalize on the influx of people moving to the area to fill these impressive jobs.”
Irving Allen, 39, is a community organizer who previously ran for council in 2017.
Allen said his top priorities if elected would focus on easing the burden on working families in Greensboro by focusing on investments in housing, workforce training and youth programs.
He has also mentioned his own youth as an asset.
“I’m the youngest candidate in the race with as much or more community and leadership experience,” Allen said in a questionnaire. “I’m not just running to lead from city hall. I’m running to lead with our communities.”
Denise Turner Roth, 51, has not held elected office before but she does have experience in city government, having previously served as city manager. She also served as the administrator of the General Services Administration under President Barack Obama.
Currently, Roth serves as the interim CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro and also has a career in consulting.
“The greatest challenge is aligning housing, infrastructure, and workforce development to meet the needs of a changing city,” Roth said in a questionnaire. “We need to accelerate housing production, invest in modern transportation and public services, and build clear pathways to the jobs coming into our region.”
The general election field features one former council member, T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, looking to reclaim a seat on the council. Bellamy-Small said her service on the council and on the Guilford County school board has allowed her to build relationships and advance projects which have helped the community.
“I’m unbossed, unbought and deeply connected to the people,” Bellamy-Small, 73, said in a questionnaire. “I’ve worked across generations, zip codes and departments to move Greensboro forward — and I’m running to do it again, for all of us.
In addition to the newcomers and challengers, both of the incumbents who are running in this year’s election will also move on to the general election.
Councilman Hugh Holston, 64, who is the CEO of the Greensboro Housing Coalition, has said he is an experienced leader who listens to constituents and takes principled stands on issues.
Among the examples he has cited are his votes to fully remediate the contamination at Bingham Park and to maintain the city’s old loose leaf collection program. He voted in the minority in both cases.
“As an incumbent since 2021, I have gained city council experience and maintain a steady hand to drive outcomes, build upon our incredible momentum, while also recognizing and avoiding the pitfalls of the past,” Holston said in a questionnaire.
Jamilla Pinder was the only other incumbent on the ballot Tuesday. However, it was her first primary win.
Pinder, the 47-year-old director of community engagement for the Cone Health Foundation, was appointed to the council early in the year to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Mayor Pro Tem Yvonne Johnson.
Pinder has identified disparities in resources across the city as among her major areas of focus and has said she would support targeted investment and community collaboration to address the issue.
By engaging residents directly in shaping priorities and participating in the decision‑making process, we can build trust and craft policies that truly reflect the needs and aspirations of the people who call Greensboro home,” Pinder said in a questionnaire.
kevin.griffin@greensboro.com
Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!
Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Kevin Griffin
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
Your notification has been saved.
There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don’t have an account? Sign Up Today