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Cary, Wake County

Wake County: Zavala, Gordon, Segal and Swanson lead school board races in unofficial returns

With all precincts in for each seat, the four Democratic-backed candidates led Districts 1, 2, 7 and 9. The News & Observer, WRAL and WUNC also covered the races. Not certified.

UpdatedThis story has changed since it was first published.

By Alexandru Stanciu · Published · Updated

People gathered on the lawn at Downtown Cary Park

File photo: DowntownCaryPark (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • Unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections for Wake County Board of Education District 1, with all 22 of 22 precincts reporting, listed Jasmine Zavala with 26,096 votes (48.69%), Bonnie Greaves with 19,148 (35.73%), Sebrina Pierce with 7,942 (14.82%), and write-ins with 405 (0.76%).Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Wake County results file, accessed Nov. 4, 2026
  • For District 2, the State Board file listed Christina A. Gordon with 35,477 votes (68.68%), Ann Schubarg with 15,674 (30.34%), and write-ins with 504 (0.98%), with all 21 of 21 precincts reporting.Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Wake County results file, accessed Nov. 4, 2026
  • For District 7, the State Board file listed Maddie Segal with 24,387 votes (48.02%), Amita Gupta with 15,491 (30.50%), Jacob Arthur with 10,733 (21.13%), and write-ins with 179 (0.35%), with all 22 of 22 precincts reporting.Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Wake County results file, accessed Nov. 4, 2026
  • For District 9, the State Board file listed Tyler Swanson with 30,753 votes (58.71%), Cheryl Alexis with 15,736 (30.04%), Brian Olson with 5,562 (10.62%), and write-ins with 331 (0.63%), with all 29 of 29 precincts reporting.Confirmed by North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Wake County results file, accessed Nov. 4, 2026
  • The News & Observer independently reported that, with all precincts reporting, Jasmine Zavala led District 1, incumbent Christina Gordon led District 2, Maddie Segal led District 7 and board chair Tyler Swanson led District 9, and wrote that Democrats would hold eight of nine board seats.Confirmed by The News & Observer, Nov. 4, 2026
  • WRAL independently reported the same four leaders and published District 1, 7 and 9 vote totals that match the State Board file. Its District 2 snapshot still showed 19 of 21 precincts; this file uses the State Board all-precinct District 2 totals above.Confirmed by WRAL, Nov. 4, 2026
  • WUNC independently reported that Zavala, Gordon, Segal and Swanson won the four seats, that Zavala and Segal are new members, that Gordon was appointed in 2025 and won her first election, and that Swanson was first elected in 2022.Confirmed by WUNC, Nov. 4, 2026
  • The News & Observer and WRAL each wrote that District 1 incumbent Cheryl Caulfield and District 7 incumbent Chris Heagarty did not seek reelection. WUNC independently reported those open seats.Confirmed by The News & Observer; WRAL; WUNC, Nov. 4, 2026
  • Separately on the same ballot, the $680 million Wake County school-construction bond passed in unofficial all-precinct returns, as covered in this site's bond file.Confirmed by Triangle Local bond coverage; North Carolina State Board of Elections unofficial Wake County results file

Still unknown

  • Final certified totals after provisional ballots and the county canvass

What this means for you

Instructions from North Carolina State Board of Elections

This site is not an elections office. Unofficial results are on the State Board's election-results site. Certified results come later from the county canvass. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

What happened

In Wake County, Jasmine Zavala, Christina Gordon, Maddie Segal and Tyler Swanson are leading the four Wake County Board of Education seats on the Nov. 3 ballot in unofficial returns.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections' unofficial Wake County file listed Zavala with 26,096 votes (48.69%) in District 1 over Bonnie Greaves (19,148) and Sebrina Pierce (7,942), with every District 1 precinct counted. In District 2, Christina A. Gordon had 35,477 (68.68%) to Ann Schubarg's 15,674, with 21 of 21 precincts in. In District 7, Segal had 24,387 (48.02%) over Amita Gupta (15,491) and Jacob Arthur (10,733), with 22 of 22 precincts in. In District 9, Swanson had 30,753 (58.71%) over Cheryl Alexis (15,736) and Brian Olson (5,562), with 29 of 29 precincts in. Those figures are not certified.

The News & Observer independently reported the same four leaders and wrote that Democrats would hold eight of nine board seats. WRAL independently published District 1, 7 and 9 totals that match the State Board file; its District 2 snapshot was still incomplete, so this file uses the State Board's all-precinct District 2 count. WUNC separately reported that Zavala, Gordon, Segal and Swanson won the seats, that Zavala and Segal are new members, that Gordon was appointed in 2025, and that Swanson was first elected in 2022.

The newspaper and WRAL each wrote that District 1 incumbent Cheryl Caulfield and District 7 incumbent Chris Heagarty did not seek reelection. WUNC independently reported those open seats.

Separately on the same ballot, Wake County's $680 million school-construction bond passed in unofficial all-precinct returns. That result is covered in that file and is not repeated here.

Certification follows the county canvass. This site is not an elections office. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Related coverage

Why it matters

The Wake County school board sets policy and the budget for the state's largest school district. Readers need the unofficial margins for all four seats before certification, alongside the separate school-bond result.

Updates

  1. Nov 4, 2026, 10:18 AM

    Added cross-reference to this site's $680 million Wake school-bond all-precinct coverage. Board vote totals unchanged.

  2. Nov 4, 2026, 10:12 AM

    First file from unofficial NCSBE Wake school board tallies (all precincts per seat) plus The News & Observer, WRAL and WUNC.

Sources

  1. Wake County unofficial results file (NCSBE enr/20261103/data/results_92.txt: BOARD OF EDUCATION D01 Zavala 26,096 / Greaves 19,148 / Pierce 7,942; D02 Gordon 35,477 / Schubarg 15,674; D07 Segal 24,387 / Gupta 15,491 / Arthur 10,733; D09 Swanson 30,753 / Alexis 15,736 / Olson 5,562; all precincts per contest)

    Official sourcePublished by North Carolina State Board of Elections · Checked Nov 4, 2026, 10:20 AM

  2. Democrats sweep all 4 Wake County school board races to increase majority (The News & Observer / T. Keung Hui, updated Nov. 4, 2026: Zavala, Gordon, Segal, Swanson; eight of nine seats; Caulfield and Heagarty not running. Text-only; no N&O photos used.)

    Published by The News & Observer · Checked Nov 4, 2026, 10:20 AM

  3. Wake voters pick two new board members, re-elect two others (WRAL / Emily Walkenhorst, updated Nov. 4, 2026: Zavala 26,096–Greaves 19,148–Pierce 7,942; Segal 24,387–Gupta 15,491–Arthur 10,733; Swanson 30,753–Alexis 15,736–Olson 5,562; Gordon over Schubarg with a still-partial precinct count on that page. Text-only; no WRAL photos used.)

    Published by WRAL · Checked Nov 4, 2026, 10:20 AM

  4. Two incumbents win Wake County school board seats (WUNC / Gianna Holiday, Nov. 4, 2026: Zavala, Gordon, Segal, Swanson; new members Zavala and Segal; Gordon appointed 2025; Swanson first elected 2022; results unofficial. Text-only; no WUNC photos used. Do not flatten WUNC's rounded vote figures or Sebrine spelling onto the State Board file.)

    Published by WUNC · Checked Nov 4, 2026, 10:20 AM

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