{"biography":"Wendy Marlene Dale is a Democratic candidate for the New Hanover County Board of Education, seeking one of four at\u2011large 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)\u301010\u2020L1-L4\u3011\u301012\u2020L23-L27\u3011. 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. \n\nDale 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\u30106\u2020L4-L5\u3011\u30107\u2020L4-L5\u3011. She has spent more than two decades working as a paralegal and technology\u2011contracts specialist, giving her extensive business and legal experience\u30106\u2020L1-L2\u3011\u30107\u2020L1-L2\u3011. Dale is also a single mother whose child was diagnosed with ADHD and attended the district\u2019s public schools, a personal experience she cites as shaping her perspective on education policy\u30106\u2020L3-L4\u3011\u30107\u2020L3-L4\u3011. \n\nIn the primary, Dale positioned herself as a newcomer to elected office, emphasizing a platform focused on equity, funding, and transparency\u30108\u2020L1-L3\u3011. 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\u30106\u2020L7-L10\u3011\u30109\u2020L7-L10\u3011. Dale opposes recent Republican\u2011led efforts to ban books and remove curriculum materials, describing such actions as overreach and violations of First Amendment rights\u30106\u2020L11-L13\u3011\u30109\u2020L11-L13\u3011. \n\nFiscal responsibility is another cornerstone of her campaign. She highlights the district\u2019s $368\u202fmillion budget as a major challenge and calls for additional funding for facilities, teacher raises, and program expansion\u30106\u2020L15-L17\u3011. Dale supports the $320\u202fmillion school bond slated for the November ballot, noting that the modest property\u2011tax increase (under $100 per year for most homeowners) will fund critical construction projects, including a renovation of New Hanover High School\u30106\u2020L18-L20\u3011. She also urges the state legislature to restore the education lottery to its original intent, limit payouts, and adopt a progressive income\u2011tax model to provide reliable school funding\u30106\u2020L21-L23\u3011. \n\nWhile 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\u2011driven decision\u2011making on the board. Her campaign contact email is wendydale4nhcboe@gmail.com, listed on her Ballotpedia page\u30101\u2020L31-L33\u3011.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Wendy Dale (New Hanover County Board of Education, North Carolina, candidate 2026) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendy_Dale_(New_Hanover_County_Board_of_Education,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2026))\n- [6] [Primary 2026: New Hanover County Board of Education primary candidate Wendy Dale | WHQR](https://www.whqr.org/2026-01-30/primary-2026-new-hanover-county-board-of-education-primary-candidate-wendy-dale)\n- [7] [Candidate Q & A: Primary Election for New Hanover County Board of Education](https://www.wect.com/2026/01/30/candidate-q-primary-election-new-hanover-county-board-education/)\n- [8] [Crowded field emerges for 2026 NHC school board race: 9 candidates discuss priorities | Port City Daily](https://portcitydaily.com/latest-news/2025/12/23/crowded-field-emerges-for-2026-nhc-school-board-race-9-candidates-discuss-priorities/)\n- [9] [Wendy Dale NHC School Board | Port City Daily](https://portcitydaily.com/wendy-nhc-school-board-primary/)\n- [10] [Four candidates win unofficial Democratic primary for New Hanover County Board of Education](https://www.wect.com/2026/03/03/six-democrats-running-four-spots-new-hanover-county-board-education-primary/)\n- [11] [A look at who filed in the 2026 tri-county elections | Port City Daily](https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2025/12/19/look-at-who-filed-in-2026-elections/)\n- [12] [2026 Primary Results: New Hanover County | Port City Daily](https://portcitydaily.com/latest-news/2026/03/03/2026-primary-results-new-hanover-county/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education"},{"contest":"county_school_board","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Wendy","fullname":"Wendy Marlene Dale","lastname":"Dale","middlename":"Marlene","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board","contest_title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"new_hanover","office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"county_school_board","contest_title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"new_hanover","office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"new_hanover","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_school_board","contest_title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"new_hanover","office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Wendy Dale is a Democratic candidate for New Hanover County Board of Education, emphasizing DEI, school funding, and curriculum freedom.","terms":[],"token":"01078dbe6422e70e"}