Bruce Shell
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Bruce Shell is a Republican incumbent for an at-large seat on the New Hanover County Board of Education in North Carolina. He advanced from a May 6, 2014, primary election against four other Republican candidates. He faced six candidates for four available seats in the general election on November 4, 2014, where he won election to the board.
Biography
Shell worked for 25 years as an official with New Hanover County including stints as finance director and internal auditor. He concluded his service for the county in 2012 after seven years as county manager. Shell served as interim town manager for Carolina Beach in 2013. He and his wife, Cindy, have two adult children and one grandchild.[1]
Elections
2014
Bruce Shell advanced from the May 6, 2014, primary against Ed Higgins, Janice Cavenaugh, Don Hayes and Jim Brumit. He faced Cavenaugh, Hayes and Higgins as well as Democratic candidates Tom Gale, Chris Meek and Emma Saunders in the November 4, 2014, general election.
Results
General
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Janice Cavenaugh Incumbent |
16.1% | 34,666 | |
| Republican | Bruce Shell |
15.4% | 33,275 | |
| Republican | Don Hayes Incumbent |
14.6% | 31,540 | |
| Republican | Ed Higgins Incumbent |
14.2% | 30,700 | |
| Democratic | Emma Saunders | 13.9% | 30,101 | |
| Democratic | Tom Gale | 13% | 28,159 | |
| Democratic | Chris Meek | 12.7% | 27,524 | |
| Total Votes | 215,965 | |||
| Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "2014 General Election Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
Primary
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Don Hayes Incumbent |
22.4% | 8,177 | |
| Republican | Bruce Shell |
21.6% | 7,874 | |
| Republican | Ed Higgins Incumbent |
20% | 7,314 | |
| Republican | Janice Cavenaugh Incumbent |
19.6% | 7,147 | |
| Republican | Jim Brumit | 16.4% | 5,970 | |
| Total Votes | 36,482 | |||
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, " 05/06/2014 OFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - NEW HANOVER," May 13, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Shell had not reported any contributions or expenditures to the North Carolina State Board of Elections as of October 23, 2014.[2]
Endorsements
Shell was endorsed by the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors.[3]
Campaign themes
2014
Shell explained his reasons for running in 2014 on his campaign website:
| “ | There is nothing more important to a vibrant and successful community than the education of our children. Our K-12 schools are our student's pathway to the future. It is our future too, whether we have children in the schools or not. What kind of future can they create? How do we ensure the future is as bright as the sparkle in our children's eyes? That is our challenge, individually and collectively. That is why I am asking for your vote.
Listen.... Learn... Lead... This is my commitment to you. I will listen to you, our students and parents, our teachers and administrators, our community leaders and elected officials, and to you my fellow citizens and voters. I will learn about what is working well and what needs improvement and the hopes and aspirations of our community. I will lead by applying my lifetime of experience and expertise to develop solution-focused consensus for action that elevates educational outcomes for our students and community. Running for Board of Education is my effort to give something back to this community. I am not a professional educator, but as a parent, former business operator and public servant, I understand the value of our K-12 school system. I served New Hanover County as its County Manager as well as key financial positions over the past 25 years; all of which involved funding to our local school system. This experience affords me a unique local perspective and experience of funding operational and capital needs of our local school system. Public Schools in North Carolina rely heavily on their funding, receiving almost one third of its operating budget from its local county taxpayers. Infrastructure needs are reliant on the County as well. It is paramount to have a strong respectful working relationship with all our elected officials, especially our County Commissioners. I have a proven ability to work with elected officials at the local, state, and federal level to best serve the needs of our public school system. I have lived in New Hanover County for more than 40 years. My wife Cindy and I have two children, who graduated from New Hanover High School and a one year old grand daughter. Cindy was very active in their education and served as a volunteer coordinator for seven years. I look forward to the opportunity of giving back to the community that has been so good to me and my family over the years. Allow me to be your eyes, ears, and voice on the New Hanover County Board of Education. I ask for your vote.[4] |
” |
| —Bruce Shell's campaign website, (2014) | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Jim + Brumit + New + Hanover + County + Schools"
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Port City Daily, " Candidate profiles: New Hanover County school board challengers," April 17, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "NC Campaign Report Search By Entity," accessed October 23, 2014
- ↑ Bruce Shell for New Hanover County School Board, "Endorsements," accessed October 23, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Bruce Shell for New Hanover County School Board, "Home," accessed April 29, 2014
| 2014 New Hanover County Schools Elections | |
| Wilmington, North Carolina | |
| Election date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Janice Cavenaugh • Tom Gale • Don Hayes • Ed Higgins • Chris Meek • Emma Saunders • Bruce Shell Candidates defeated in primary: • Jim Brumit |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
