Elon University hosted an Alamance County candidate forum, featuring hour-long discussions with candidates for North Carolina House of Representatives Districts 63 and 64, as well as Senate District 25.
Both North Carolina House districts in Alamance County have been represented by Republicans since 2013 and the Senate seat has been represented by a Republican senator since 2011.
For Alamance County resident Alex Hitt, it was the first local forum he could remember.
“It's almost historic to have a debate in Alamance County,” Hitt said, in attendance with his wife. “We've been here 45 years and don't ever remember one.”
The forum was moderated by Elon professor of political science Jason Husser. Roughly 80 people were in attendance during the event.
House District 63
In House District 63, which includes northern and western Alamance County, Democrat Ian Baltutis and Republican Ryan Moffitt are vying for the seat that was vacated by retiring six-term Republican incumbent Rep. Stephen Ross. Ross won the district by 10 percentage points in 2024.
Both candidates' platforms focus on the current state of North Carolina’s economy and K-12 education, with different strategies for long-term improvement.
A recent Elon poll found that 86% of voters said inflation and the cost of living are “very important” issues. Moffitt and Baltutis agree.
Moffitt advocated for economic efficiency, capitalizing on business development within Burlington. He said the role of government is to be responsible with taxpayer money and to maximize managed resources, referencing relief money used for Hurricane Helene and gas taxes from the state surplus.
“Those billions of dollars were there for a purpose, not for politics,” Moffitt said. “For the last 20 years, our General Assembly has exercised discipline, put money away for the very purpose of planning for those rainy days and for those disasters when help is needed the most and special relief is warranted.”
Moffitt also emphasized the importance of keeping tax levels consistent, citing Burlington’s recent 17% increase in property taxes as an example.
“For a city that hasn't raised taxes in over 20 years, to raise taxes suddenly in a tight economy by 17% is exactly why we need to examine our property tax administration policy, and we need to give voters the opportunity to make that decision,” Moffitt said.
The Republican nominee also said he hoped Alamance County will leverage itself well and benefit from growing technologies via business growth.
Baltutis said that instead of focusing on future business development, the government should be focused on supporting households now.
“It's not the greater economy or how we're doing long-term economic development,” Baltutis said. “It's, ‘How do I get to next week? How do I buy groceries and be able to put gas in my tank?’”
The former Burlington mayor connected the economy to his campaign’s push for further investment into the school system.
He quoted a letter he received from a student after a visit to a local school:
"Dear mayor Baltutis, I don't want to be rude, but can you help fix up our school?”
Baltutis said that the state needs to make a greater investment in paying teachers and staff, funding to repair school buildings and supporting a bill that would loosen start-date restrictions for schools.
Moffitt agreed that education is a top priority but pushed back on Baltutis’ strategy.
“The education issue is not a purely public versus school choice conversation, nor is it a more money, more money, more money conversation,” Moffitt said. “That's what political operatives want you to think.”
He said his focus was to improve the quality of education within the means currently provided by the government.
Baltutis was endorsed by the Alamance Burlington Association of Educators in August. Moffitt said he was never contacted by the association for the opportunity to vie for their endorsement.
Moffitt was given the maximum $6,800 dollars for his campaign from North Carolina State House Majority Leader Brendan H. Jones. When asked how the donation would impact his vote in the General Assembly by Baltutis, Moffitt’s answer was simple.
“I’d vote my conscience. No question,” Moffitt said. “No question.”
House District 64
In neighboring House District 64, which includes southern and eastern Alamance County, Democrat LeVon Barnes is challenging six-term Republican incumbent Rep. Dennis Riddell in a rematch of their 2024 contest, which Riddell won by 10 percentage points.
Barnes, a public school teacher, said improving conditions for teachers and students is a top priority.
“Imagine an education where you don't have to worry about losing your favorite teacher,” Barnes said. “Imagine an education where your building is not crumbling, where it's cold in one building, hot in the next building.”
Riddell, a former teacher himself, said education was also important, but he pushed back on where money for increasing salaries would come from and the effects it could have on the economy.
“I know it's a difficult time, but I don't know anybody that goes into teaching for the money,” Riddell said. “Neither should you be held in penury. It shouldn't be something where you have to make up the difference.”
Both candidates also focused on affordability. Riddell supports lowering taxes and searching for forms of responsible deregulation, while Barnes supports a wage-based tax system and taxing corporations.
“Putting more money in people's pockets will allow them the opportunity to experience life without feeling like they're drowning,” Barnes said. “That's the biggest thing that I see day in and day out: people are just drowning, and there's no humanity.”
Barnes said that making businesses pay is a key factor in supporting the county. He also said that corporations that have been involved with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances pollution in the Haw River should be punished.
Riddell said that citizens should not be antagonistic toward businesses, whether it comes to the economy or issues like pollution.
“Business is not your enemy,” Riddell said. “It is there to help you in whatever it is you might be trying to get from the business by way of a product or a good or a service, and to have this overwhelming negative aspect and pounding of people who have succeeded, I think you got to be careful about that.”
Riddell said that if he is reelected, he looks to maintain his work in the Regulatory Reform House Standing Committee, which reviews government agencies and programs to improve efficiency.
Barnes said that on top of other issues, he aims to represent the entire district, regardless of who votes for him. He said it’s something he doesn’t think has been done in the past.
“What we lack in Raleigh is that we don't have people who feel like they should have to be held accountable,” Barnes said. “I don't feel like we have people in Raleigh right now who feel like they have to even represent, even though their name says representative.”
Senate District 25
In Senate District 25, which includes all of Alamance County and portions of Randolph County, Democrat Southey Blanton is challenging three-term Republican incumbent Sen. Amy Galey, who won the district by 21 percentage points in 2024.
Education and affordability were similar topics for the discussion between the two Senate District 25 candidates.
Blanton, whose mom worked in education for 30 years, was a strong advocate for raising teacher salaries.
“Public education in North Carolina used to be a beacon,” Blanton said. “We used to set the bar for the way you could pay teachers, you can support school staff and you can give schools the resources that they need.”
The Democrat nominee said that every year before parent-teacher night at his kids’ school, he buys $800 worth of school supplies to donate to teachers.
Galey said that North Carolina has already made a strong investment in teacher salaries.
North Carolina State Senate District 25 candidates Republican incumbent Amy Scott Galey (left) and Democrat nominee Southey Blanton (right) discuss their opinions in an hour-long public forum on Oct. 14 at Elon University.
North Carolina raised the average teacher salary by 8% over the summer, with an average pay of $65,361, making North Carolina teacher pay the sixth-highest in the southeast.
Galey and Riddell both referenced that the majority of North Carolina spending already goes to education, which sits at 56.5%.
“The question isn't, ‘Why aren't we paying more for teachers?’” Galey said. “I think the question should be asked by other states, ‘Why are we paying so much compared to North Carolina and not getting the same excellent results that North Carolina is getting?’”
Galey has a similar approach to Riddell when it comes to the issue of affordability. She asked the audience to think about who they trust and whether raising taxes would do more damage than good.
She said that if she were reelected, another focus would be on revealing the underlying costs of renewable energy and its impact on households’ electricity bills.
Blanton said that increasing the corporate tax would benefit Alamance County, keeping revenue local and supporting consumers.
He also supports raising the minimum wage, which has been $7.25 since 2009. He said putting extra dollars in citizens’ pockets would boost local spending, involvement in groups like Parent Teacher Organizations and support small-town events like fall festivals.
Galey said she is also invested in mitigating PFAS pollution problems within the county. She supported the Regional Wastewater Authority, linking delegation with towns like Pittsboro and Apex further downstream.
The attendees left with further insight on who their candidates are, what they believe in and how they align with important issues.
Early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 15 and ends Saturday, Oct. 31. Elon University’s South Gym is one of five early voting sites in Alamance County. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.