Christine Kushner

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Christine Kushner

Democratic Party

Candidate, Wake County Board of Commissioners At-Large

Prior offices:

Wake County Public School System, District 6

Years in office: 2011 - 2022

Successor: Sam Hershey (Nonpartisan)

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Next election

March 3, 2026

Education

High school

E. E. Smith High School

Bachelor's

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1985

Graduate

Princeton University, 1989

Personal

Birthplace

Fayetteville, NC

Religion

Greek Orthodox Christian

Profession

Policy analyst

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal website

Personal LinkedIn

Christine Kushner (Democratic Party) is running for election for an at-large seat of the Wake County Board of Commissioners in North Carolina. She is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.^[source]

Kushner was a member of the Wake County Public School System in North Carolina, representing District 6. She assumed office in 2011. She left office on December 5, 2022.

Kushner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Kushner was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She graduated from E. E. Smith High School. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor's degree in 1985. She went on to obtain her master's degree from Princeton University in 1989. Her career experience includes working as a policy analyst.

Elections

2026

See also: Municipal elections in Wake County, North Carolina (2026)

General election

The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

General election for Wake County Board of Commissioners At-Large (2 seats)

Gary Hartong (R) and Kyle Stogoski (R) are running in the general election for Wake County Board of Commissioners At-Large on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Gary Hartong (R)
		Kyle Stogoski (R)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

Democratic primary for Wake County Board of Commissioners At-Large (2 seats)

The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Wake County Board of Commissioners At-Large on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Marguerite Creel
		Christine Kushner
		Jonathan Lambert-Melton
		Kimberly McGhee
		Robert Mitchener
	Submit photo	Steve Rao
		Mona Singh

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary

The Republican primary scheduled for March 3, 2026, was canceled. Gary Hartong (R) and Kyle Stogoski (R) advanced from the Republican primary for Wake County Board of Commissioners At-Large without appearing on the ballot.

Endorsements

To view Kushner's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2020

See also: Wake County Public School System, North Carolina, elections (2020)

General election

General election for Wake County Public School System, District 6

Incumbent Christine Kushner won election in the general election for Wake County Public School System, District 6 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christine Kushner (Nonpartisan)	95.4	47,101
		Other/Write-in votes	4.6	2,280

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 49,381
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To view Kushner's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

2018

See also: Wake County Public School System elections (2018)

General election

General election for Wake County Public School System, District 6

Incumbent Christine Kushner won election in the general election for Wake County Public School System, District 6 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christine Kushner (Nonpartisan)	96.7	32,969
		Other/Write-in votes	3.3	1,128

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 34,097 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Wake County Public School System elections (2016)

When state legislation created new school board district boundaries for the Wake County Public School System, a group of voters disputed the change in court.

See also: Issues in the election

District 1 incumbent Tom Benton filed for re-election and faced challengers Donald Agee, Mary Beth Ainsworth, and Sheila Ellis. Agee defeated the incumbent. In District 2, incumbent Monika Johnson-Hostler filed for an additional term on the board and successfully defended her seat against challenger Peter Hochstaetter. Mark Ivey initially filed in the race but withdrew his candidacy in September 2016. Because of the late withdrawal, his name still appeared on the ballot. Sole newcomer Roxie Cash filed for the District 3 seat and won. District 4 incumbent Keith Sutton filed for re-election and faced single challenger Heather Elliott. Sutton won another term on the board. In their bids for re-election, District 5, 6, and 7 incumbents Jim Martin, Christine Kushner, and Zora Felton were unopposed and won additional terms on the board. However, Felton passed away unexpectedly shortly after the general election, leaving the District 7 seat vacant. District 8 saw three newcomers file for the seat: Gary Lewis, Gil Pagan, and Lindsay Mahaffey, with Mahaffey winning the seat. In District 9, incumbent Bill Fletcher won the race against challenger Michael Tanbusch. There was no primary.
After Judge Dever announced that the candidates who originally filed in this school board race were disqualified and would have to file again during a new filing window that ran from August 11, 2016, to August 17, 2016, three dropped out and two newcomers filed. Former candidates Beverley Clark, James McLuckie, and Donald Mial did not appear on the revised candidate list. District 7 incumbent Zora Felton and District 9 challenger Michael Tanbusch entered the race after the new deadline was set.

Results

Wake County Public School System, District 6 General Election, 2-year term, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Christine Kushner Incumbent (unopposed)	97.71%	35,926
Write-in votes	2.29%	841
Total Votes (100)		36,767
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "11/08/2016 Official General Election Results," accessed December 5, 2016

Funding

Kushner reported $23,467.11 in contributions and $15,524.73 in expenditures to the Wake County Board of Elections, leaving her campaign with $16,206.60 cash on hand as of November 4, 2016.

See also: List of school board campaign finance deadlines in 2016

School board candidates in North Carolina were required to file campaign finance reports to their county's board of elections unless the candidate:

(1) Did not receive more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) in contributions, and

(2) Did not receive more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) in loans, and

(3) Did not spend more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).

The third quarter campaign finance deadline was October 31, 2016, and the fourth quarter deadline was January 11, 2017.

Endorsements

Kushner was endorsed by the Wake County Democratic Party.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Christine Kushner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kushner's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have extensive experience working on countywide Boards, including more than a decade on the Wake County Board of Education, including two terms as Chair, and service on the Wake County Health and Human Services Board for the past four years. This experience includes overseeing $2+ billion public budgets and priorities and making complicated decisions that use tax dollars effectively. My goals have been to support constituents and expand opportunities for education, health care, and needed local services. I have a broad understanding of the complexity of balancing competing priorities and working toward equitable decisions. My professional background in health care and education policy and my experience in politics have given me valuable perspective collaborating with local, state, and community leaders. Like many, I have been appalled by the recent actions of both our General Assembly and the federal government. County government is where we have the leverage to get things done, and I know my experience successfully fighting for our values on the County level can make a difference now and in the years ahead. That's why I am running for Commissioner in 2026.

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?

• Public Education--These are critical times for public schools. We need Commissioners who are committed to improving the Wake County Public School System, which can only be done with supported, well-paid staff and educators. I have supported better funding for our public schools for more than 25 years, and I will continue to be a fierce advocate for public education. The State's underfunding of K-12 public education and its wasteful spending on private school vouchers are at fault for increased pressures on the County budget. Our students deserve better.
• Health and Human Services--Local county services are the foundation of how we take care of each other as neighbors. Public health saves lives and benefits everyone; its programs remain critically needed investments for our county. My specific priorities include: addressing the foster care system and improving children’s services; expanding maternal and child health programs; embedding more county nurses and social workers in our public school buildings; securing clean water sources for our community; extending the life of the solid waste landfill; and expanding substance use treatment services in our county.
• Economic Mobility--Economic success depends on stable housing and transit. Housing stability leads to education and workforce stability, and housing stability also supports public safety. County-based strategies should preserve existing housing, as well as long term strategies of adding more affordable developments. County staff should work collaboratively with municipal leaders to address the housing infrastructure needed for our diverse population on a countywide basis. Linking expanded transit options, including Bus Rapid Transit, to housing options remains critical for expanding economic opportunity.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public education, public health, and civil rights.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Wake NCAE, Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association, Voters of Tomorrow (Raleigh chapter), Teamsters Local 391, NC Sen. Lisa Grafstein, NC House Reps. Cynthia Ball, Maria Cervania, Allison Dahle, Monika Johnson-Hosler, Tim Longest, James Roberson, Julie von Haefen; Wake County Commissioners Susan Evans, Tara Waters, and Vickie Adamson; Wake School Board members Tyler Swanson (current chair), Sam Hershey, Lynn Edmonds, Toshiba Rice, Jennifer Job; former NC Rep. Rosa Gill; former Wake Commissioner Greg Ford; former Wake School Board members Keith Sutton, Lindsay Mahaffey, Tom Benton, Roxie Cash, Heather Scott, Jim Martin; former Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane; Wake Register of Deeds Tammy Brunner; former NC Auditor Jessica Holmes and more

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.

2020

Christine Kushner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kushner's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a product of public education, having graduated from EE Smith High School in my hometown of Fayetteville, NC, and then graduating as a Morehead Scholar from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I have a masters in public affairs from Princeton University, and my background as a writer and policy analyst lends itself to serving on the School Board. I enjoy talking with people, hearing their stories, and having their experiences impact how I make decisions. I am a wife, mother, sister, and daughter who brings those roles to my service on the Board of Education.

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?

• Top priority for 2020-21 school year: safe and sustainable teaching and learning during the COVID pandemic
• Promote equity and inclusion for all our students in all WCPSS schools
• Policies and structures must support great working conditions for educators in the classroom

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have been a fierce advocate for public education since my now-25-year-old son entered WCPSS as a kindergartner in 2000. I have focused on advocating for needed funding for public schools, opportunities for students that promote equity and excellence, and fair and clear governing policies for our school system, including our 2020 Strategic Plan.

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

Authenticity and empathy for all people.

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

My first job out of college was as a two-year stint as newspaper reporter in Texas. It prepared me well for every job I have had since then, including work in public health and for nonprofits. As a journalist, I was professionalized to enjoy talking with people, engaging in their stories, and listening to differing perspectives. These combined skills and experiences have proven useful for politics! Balancing opinion and facts has helped me make better decisions.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

To strengthen public education in their community, primarily by providing strong governance and leadership.

Who are your constituents?

Students, educators, and all members of my district-everyone has a stake in public education.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

Public schools are the foundation of our democracy and society because they are charged with supporting diverse needs-their power and value are in their inclusive nature. That is why public schools must consider all students and make sure they are culturally responsive and community focused.

How might you improve the value of a high school diploma? What should a 21st century diploma reflect?

A 21st Century high school graduate should have strong skills in the four C's-communication, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

The best way to maintain safety in our schools is to build community-students need to have a clear sense of belonging. One way to strengthen those ties is to address and support the mental health needs of students, faculty, and staff, especially during this time of the COVID pandemic.

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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Wake County Board of Commissioners At-Large

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