Amanda Underwood (Clayton Town Council, North Carolina, candidate 2025)

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Amanda Underwood

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Clayton Town Council

Elections and appointments

Next election

November 4, 2025

Education

High school

Clayton High School

Bachelor's

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2006

Personal

Birthplace

Clayton, N.C.

Profession

Founder and CEO

Contact

Campaign website

Personal LinkedIn

Amanda Underwood is running for election to the Clayton Town Council in North Carolina. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Underwood completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Amanda Underwood provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 6, 2025:

• Birth place: Clayton, North Carolina
• High school: Clayton High School
• Bachelor's: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2006
• Gender: Female
• Profession: Founder and CEO
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: From Here. For Here.
• Campaign website

Elections

General election

The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.

General election for Clayton Town Council (3 seats)

The following candidates are running in the general election for Clayton Town Council on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Andria Archer (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Dan Barbour (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Keith Branch (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Jason E. Carter (Nonpartisan)
		Porter Casey Jr. (Nonpartisan)
		Amanda Underwood (Nonpartisan)

---

	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

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Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Amanda Underwood completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Underwood's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m Amanda Underwood, a Clayton native with deep family roots in our community going back generations. I’ve been actively advocating for a better Clayton since I was in fourth grade. My first civic project was documenting the poor condition of the old Clayton Elementary School and writing letters asking for change.

Professionally, I have decades of experience in strategic communications, public engagement, and creative problem-solving. I've served on the Johnston Community College advisory board and have contributed to many local organizations, including the Clayton Chamber and Johnston County Government. My work has always focused on bringing people together and making sure voices are heard.

I’m running for Town Council because I love Clayton and believe in responsible growth, transparency, and leadership that reflects the strengths of our whole community. My goal is to make town government more open, more accountable, and more responsive to residents.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Transparency and Accountability – Clayton residents deserve an open government that listens, communicates honestly, and makes decisions in the public’s best interest, not behind closed doors.
• Responsible Growth – As the fastest-growing county in North Carolina, Johnston County needs careful planning in Clayton to balance development with infrastructure, schools, and services. Growth should benefit residents, not overwhelm them.
• Community-Centered Leadership – I will prioritize the needs of everyday residents by elevating professional standards in town operations, supporting local businesses, and ensuring our policies reflect the strengths and diversity of the whole community.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m especially passionate about transparency in government, and I think trust starts with honesty. I also care deeply about making sure our basic services, like water, sewer, electricity, and roads, are dependable and affordable for the people who live here.

As a mom with a daughter in Clayton schools, I care about education and creating more opportunities for our kids to learn and thrive close to home. And finally, I want to see Clayton invest in its own people—our artists, our small businesses, and our neighbors who give this town its unique character—so that growth truly benefits everyone who calls Clayton home.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

What makes the Clayton Town Council unique is that its decisions shape one of the fastest-growing towns in North Carolina. The Council has a direct hand in how our community grows, everything from roads and utilities to parks, schools, and downtown development.

Because Clayton is changing so quickly, the choices our Council makes today will set the tone for decades to come. Unlike state or federal officials, Town Council members live right here and feel the same impacts as everyone else. That closeness makes the office especially important: it’s where residents should see their voices reflected most clearly, and where leadership must be transparent, accountable, and focused on building a Clayton that works for all of us.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I think the most important qualities for an elected official are honesty, accountability, and a genuine willingness to listen. People want leaders they can trust to tell the truth and to take responsibility for their decisions.

It’s also important to have respect for the community you serve, and to remember that holding office is about representing neighbors, not pushing personal agendas. And finally, I believe in fairness and transparency. When decisions are made openly and with integrity, it builds trust and keeps government focused on serving everyone, not just a select few. These are the principles I’ve lived by in my work and why I’m running now.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe the core responsibility of a Town Council member is to serve the people of Clayton with integrity and transparency. That means listening to residents, weighing their concerns carefully, and making decisions in the public’s best interest.

Council members are also responsible for setting policies and priorities that guide our town’s growth and daily operations—everything from budgets and infrastructure to parks and public safety. It’s not about micromanaging, but about providing steady leadership and making sure staff carry out the community’s vision.

Most importantly, a Council member should always remember they are a neighbor first, an elected official second. The role is about representing the community fairly and ensuring that every decision strengthens the trust between local government and the people it serves.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event that happened in my lifetime that I remember was the Senate race between Jesse Helms and Harvey Gantt, and this was the first time I ever went with my parents to vote, they impressed upon me the importance of voting and doing my civic duty. I was five years old at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked for a real estate attorney as the receptionist when I was in high school. I worked there for two years until I left for college. I learned a lot about real estate closings while I was there.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

A lot of people don’t realize just how much power the Town Council has over our everyday lives. Council sets our utility rates and service fees, approves zoning and development that shape traffic and schools, and decides how millions of dollars in tax money are spent each year. For example, the Council’s recent utility rate increases have directly affected every household budget in town, while development approvals determine whether our roads and schools can keep up with growth.

Too often, these decisions happen quietly and without enough public input. That’s something I want to change. Residents deserve a Council that makes these choices openly, invites community voices into the process, and holds itself accountable for the long-term impacts. When people understand how much authority the Council really has, it’s clear why transparency and trust in local government matter so much.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think experience in government can be helpful, but it’s not the only thing that matters. What really benefits a Town Council is having members who understand the community, can listen well, and are committed to serving with integrity. Sometimes a fresh perspective from outside politics is exactly what’s needed to challenge the “business as usual” mindset and bring new ideas to the table.

In my case, I’ve spent years working in strategic communications, civic organizations, and community advocacy, which has given me the skills to navigate complex issues and bring people together—even if I haven’t held elected office before. At the end of the day, what matters most is not how many titles someone has held, but whether they’re willing to put in the work, be transparent, and represent their neighbors honestly and fairly.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

I think the most helpful skills for a Town Council member are listening, communication, and problem-solving. Council members don’t run the day-to-day operations, but they do need to set clear priorities, ask the right questions, and make sure decisions are being made in the community’s best interest.

It’s also important to have financial and strategic thinking skills, since the Council manages a large budget and makes choices that affect everything from utility rates to long-term growth. My own background is in strategic communications, civic engagement, and creative problem-solving, which has given me experience in building trust, bringing people together, and helping organizations work more effectively.

Finally, I think integrity and transparency are just as important as any technical skill. You can always learn the details of municipal law or budgeting, but you can’t fake honesty or a genuine commitment to your neighbors.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

What makes the Clayton Town Council unique in local government is that it’s the direct voice of one of the fastest-growing towns in North Carolina. Council members make decisions that affect every part of daily life—utility rates, zoning and development, roads, parks, and how our tax dollars are spent.

Because Clayton is growing at such a rapid pace, the Council’s role is even more important. The choices made now will determine whether growth strengthens our community or overwhelms it, and whether our schools, utilities, and services can keep up with demand. For example, recent Council votes on utility rate increases and major development approvals have had an immediate impact on household budgets and traffic patterns, reminding us how powerful these local decisions really are.

Unlike other levels of government, Council members are neighbors you see at the grocery store or at school events. That closeness makes the office both personal and impactful. It’s where residents should feel their voices heard most clearly, and where leadership has the responsibility to keep government transparent, responsive, and accountable to the people it serves.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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