Wendy Marlene Dale

Wendy Marlene Dale is a Democratic candidate for the New Hanover County Board of Education, seeking one of four at‑large seats in the November 2026 general election after advancing from the March 3 Democratic primary with 11,862 votes (17.86% of the Democratic field)【10†L1-L4】【12†L23-L27】. The Board of Education governs the New Hanover County Public Schools system, setting policy, approving the district budget, overseeing curriculum and facilities, and hiring the superintendent.

Dale earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, concentrating in Rhetoric, with a Minor in Social and Economic Justice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill【6†L4-L5】【7†L4-L5】. She has spent more than two decades working as a paralegal and technology‑contracts specialist, giving her extensive business and legal experience【6†L1-L2】【7†L1-L2】. Dale is also a single mother whose child was diagnosed with ADHD and attended the district’s public schools, a personal experience she cites as shaping her perspective on education policy【6†L3-L4】【7†L3-L4】.

In the primary, Dale positioned herself as a newcomer to elected office, emphasizing a platform focused on equity, funding, and transparency【8†L1-L3】. She advocates reinstating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) provisions that were blocked by a federal court, arguing that DEI policies benefit students, teachers, and staff and should not be abandoned for partisan reasons【6†L7-L10】【9†L7-L10】. Dale opposes recent Republican‑led efforts to ban books and remove curriculum materials, describing such actions as overreach and violations of First Amendment rights【6†L11-L13】【9†L11-L13】.

Fiscal responsibility is another cornerstone of her campaign. She highlights the district’s $368 million budget as a major challenge and calls for additional funding for facilities, teacher raises, and program expansion【6†L15-L17】. Dale supports the $320 million school bond slated for the November ballot, noting that the modest property‑tax increase (under $100 per year for most homeowners) will fund critical construction projects, including a renovation of New Hanover High School【6†L18-L20】. She also urges the state legislature to restore the education lottery to its original intent, limit payouts, and adopt a progressive income‑tax model to provide reliable school funding【6†L21-L23】.

While Dale has not yet held elected office, her professional background and personal experience as a parent in the district inform her priorities: reinstating DEI, protecting curricular freedom, securing adequate funding, and ensuring transparent, data‑driven decision‑making on the board. Her campaign contact email is [email protected], listed on her Ballotpedia page【1†L31-L33】.

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