Liz Baxter

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Liz Baxter

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Douglas Byrd High School

Bachelor's

University of North Carolina, Greensboro, 2012

Personal

Profession

Program director

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Liz Baxter (Democratic Party) ran for election for an at-large seat of the Union County Public Schools school board in North Carolina. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Baxter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Liz Baxter earned a high school diploma from Douglas Byrd High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro in 2012. Her career experience includes working as a program director.

Elections

2024

See also: Union County Public Schools, North Carolina, elections (2024)

General election

General election for Union County Public Schools school board At-Large (2 seats)

Incumbent Sarah May and incumbent Todd Price defeated Liz Baxter and Weston Burroughs in the general election for Union County Public Schools school board At-Large on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Sarah May (R)	33.0	76,168
✔		Todd Price (R)	31.2	71,859
		Liz Baxter (D)	20.3	46,839
		Weston Burroughs (D)	15.5	35,698

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 230,564
= 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 election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Liz Baxter and Weston Burroughs advanced from the Democratic primary for Union County Public Schools school board At-Large.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Union County Public Schools school board At-Large (2 seats)

Incumbent Todd Price and incumbent Sarah May defeated Linda Robinson and Travis Cook in the Republican primary for Union County Public Schools school board At-Large on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Todd Price	34.3	14,949
✔	Submit photo	Sarah May	34.2	14,923
	Submit photo	Linda Robinson	17.7	7,721
	Submit photo	Travis Cook	13.8	5,994

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,587
= 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

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Baxter in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Liz Baxter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Baxter's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm Liz Baxter, a proud mom, community advocate, and first-time candidate for the Union County School Board. I’m running for school board because I believe in creating a future where all students have access to a safe, high-quality education. I believe we need to invest in our students and teachers by keeping public dollars for public schools. As a mother, I understand how critical it is that our schools are well-resourced and equitable, and I’m ready to fight for policies that put students first

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?

• I’m committed to equity in education. Ensuring that all students, regardless of their background or how they identify, have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive and succeed.
• Our public schools deserve full financial support. I’ll push for increased funding to improve school resources and also raise teacher pay. I would advocate to keep public funds in our public schools in order to invest in the success of our teachers and students.
• Every parent should feel confident that their child is safe at school. I’ll advocate for stronger safety policies, including mental health resources and programs that promote a positive school culture, ensuring that schools are safe and supportive for students and staff alike.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public school funding is an area that drives me. Our schools need to be fully funded to give teachers, students, and staff the resources they need to be successful. I’m passionate about pushing back against policies that divert funding from public schools and advocating for increased state support, especially for schools in underfunded communities.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my mother, she is someone who emigrated to the US and had to make a new life for herself. She has always been hard working and focused and I carry that with me.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

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

An elected official should be honest with their constituents and held accountable.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

My organizational skills, and I'm highly collaborative.

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

Core responsibilities are leadership, accountability, and advocacy—putting students first in every decision. Also engaging with the community by listening to parents, teachers, and students to understand their needs and concerns.

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

September 11th, I remember exactly what happened, I was in my classroom and my teacher got a phone call. She turned on the tv and told us what was happening. I was almost 11 years old.

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

I worked at Burger King at 16, and worked there throughout high school and college.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini has been my favorite book since high school because of its emotional depth, relatable characters, and powerful themes of friendship, betrayal, and redemption. The story is so compelling, and widens the aperture of your perspective.

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

Advocating for our public schools.

Who are your constituents?

My constituents are the families, students, teachers, and community members of Union County.

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

I bring a diverse perspective to the School Board, and through communicating with my constituents, I will be able to support and address those needs.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

I’ll build relationships by actively engaging with parents, teachers, students, and community leaders through regular town halls, listening sessions, and school visits. I’ll specifically target PTAs, teacher organizations, local businesses, and advocacy groups like those focused on equity, mental health, and education reform.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

A good teacher adapts their methods to meet diverse student needs, fosters curiosity, and creates connections between the material and real-world applications. They also build strong relationships with students, providing emotional and academic support. To measure, I would rely on a combination of student progress, feedback from students and parents, peer evaluations, and classroom observations

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

I’m passionate about expanding financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and civics education. These are critical life skills that empower students to make informed decisions, engage in their communities, and succeed in today’s world. As far as innovative programming, I’d advocate for innovative programming like coding boot camps and partnerships with local businesses for apprenticeships.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

First, I’d work with other school board members and local leaders to advocate for increased state funding for public schools, pushing back against policies that divert funds to private school vouchers. I’d also push for greater transparency in how education funds are allocated and spent.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

My policies for school safety are driven by principles of prevention through proactive measures, inclusivity to ensure every student feels valued, and mental health support to address students' emotional needs.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

I would support mental health needs by increasing access to counselors, implementing mental health awareness programs, and creating a supportive environment that encourages open conversations about mental well-being.

What existing district policies would you like to change, or what new policies would you like to implement?

I would move away from culture wars conversations and focus on supporting the needs of the students and teachers.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Equality NC

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

The ideal learning environment is one where every student feels safe, supported, and inspired to learn. It’s a place where diversity is celebrated, and every child has access to the resources they need to succeed. Most importantly, the learning environment is inclusive, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. It’s a place where students feel empowered to ask questions, explore new ideas, and grow into their fullest potential.

How do you feel like your school district handled the coronavirus pandemic? What, if anything, would you do differently in the future?

I would prioritize enhancing communication with parents and the community, ensuring more consistent access to technology for remote learning, and implementing a mask policy to support student health and safety.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

I’ll build relationships with parents by creating open channels of communication. My goal is to foster trust, transparency, and a genuine partnership with parents in the county.

What are your preferred strategies for faculty, staff, and administration recruitment?

When it comes to recruiting and retaining qualified teachers centers around three key areas: competitive compensation, supportive work environments, and meaningful professional growth.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I think that financial transparency is essential towards accountability.

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.

See also

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Union County Public Schools school board At-Large

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