Incumbent Steve Gainey faces challenger Brian D. Rupp in the race for the Brunswick County Board of Education District 5 seat.
In-person early voting begins on Oct. 15 and ends on Oct. 31 at 3 p.m. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Oct. 20, and those must be returned to the local board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Election Day is set for Tuesday, Nov. 3.
North Carolina residents can check their voter registration status on the North Carolina State Board of Elections webpage.
Here's a look at the candidates. Responses have been lightly edited for grammar, style and length.
Steve Gainey
- Age: 71
- Occupation: 25 years in professional sales, now retired
- Education: B.A. from Wake Forest University
- Political experience: Brunswick County Board of Education member since 2022
- Political affiliation: Republican
Brian D. Rupp
Age: 51
Occupation: Leadership Professional, retired AD USAF.
Education: B.S. in business administration from the University of Maryland
Political
experience: Beyond voting, I was not politically active prior to this race.
Political affiliation: Democrat
What are the top issues facing the Brunswick County Schools?
Gainey: 1) Brunswick County Schools capital projects related to new schools will be forecast and managed in a timely and cost-effective manner. 2) Implementing a new pay schedule for classified employees over the next three years so our bus drivers, custodians, teacher assistants, cafeteria staff, etc., are the highest paid in the 12 county, southeast region. 3) Managing costs associated with services for our growing EC population.
Rupp: The biggest issue is growth. Brunswick County continues to grow, and our schools have failed to keep up; not just with buildings and classroom space, but with teachers, support staff, transportation, technology, and student services. At the same time, we have to retain great teachers and staff. We cannot expect better outcomes for students if the people doing the work feel overextended, unheard, or unsupported. Finally, I think we have to continue rebuilding trust between our schools and the community. Parents, teachers, staff, and taxpayers should understand the decisions being made, why they are being made, and how those decisions benefit students.
What goals do you have for the county school system?
Gainey: 1) All schools will meet or exceed growth by 2029. 2) By 2030, Brunswick County Schools will be ranked as a top 20 school district in N.C. (moved from 44th to 39th this year.) 3) Improve bus driver compensation so that vacancies are eliminated, thereby removing the requirement that teacher assistants, as a condition of employment, obtain bus driver certification and be willing to serve as a substitute driver when needed.
Rupp: I want Brunswick County Schools to be a district where families want to send their children, educators want to build their careers, and our community is proud of its schools. That means improving academic outcomes while expanding opportunities in career and technical education, college preparation, the arts, athletics, and other programs that help students find their path. We also need to plan responsibly for continued growth and provide stronger support for students who need additional help. Ultimately, our goal shouldn't simply be getting students to graduation. It should be making sure they leave us prepared for college, a career, military service, or whatever comes next.
Why are you the best candidate for this position?
Gainey: I have served on the Brunswick board for four years and I currently serve as board chair. Experience is the only effective way to truly learn about leadership and management of a school district. I am the only District 5 candidate to have that experience. I also sit on the board of directors for the North Carolina School Boards Association and I sit on the legislative committee of that board which is responsible for crafting a two-year legislative agenda to address school board needs statewide.
Rupp: I bring something important to this race: a genuine connection to the people our decisions affect. I’m a parent in Brunswick County Schools, but I’ve also spent a great deal of time listening to teachers, staff, parents, and community members across the county. I understand that good decisions rarely come from one perspective. I’m willing to ask hard questions, challenge assumptions, and work with people I may not always agree with. Most importantly, I don’t have an agenda beyond making our schools better. I want decisions at the Board table to be driven by what gives our students and educators the best opportunity to succeed.
What are your top three priorities if elected to the Board of Education?
Gainey: 1) Achieve all Strategic Plan Goals by 2029. 2) Continue my work on the NCSBA legislative committee to push the federal & state governments to fund EC services using a weighted formula that reflects the true cost incurred by local districts. 3) By 2030, Brunswick County Schools will be ranked as a top 20 school district in N.C.
Rupp: My three priorities are supporting our educators, preparing for growth, and strengthening community trust. First, we must recruit and retain great teachers and staff through competitive compensation, meaningful support, and professional respect. Second, Brunswick County must plan ahead for continued growth. That means classrooms and schools, but also transportation, staffing, technology, and student services. Third, I want greater transparency and community involvement in Board decisions. These priorities reinforce each other. When we have greatpeople working in adequately resourced schools, supported by a community that understands and trusts what we're doing, we create better opportunities and better outcomes for our students.
How do you define success for the Brunswick County school district?
Gainey: Delivering such high-quality education and work environments that Brunswick County Schools increases its “market share,” if you will, of Brunswick County school age children in the new, competitive era of vouchers and schoolchoice. Brunswick County Schools leadership fully believes it can become the market share leader and that this is an important way to measure district success.
Rupp: Success is not simply measured by one test score or statistic. A successful district helps every student grow academically and prepares graduates for whatever comes next. It's a district where struggling students receive help before they fall through the cracks and where opportunities aren't determined by which school a child attends. Success also means teachers and staff want to stay, parents trust their schools, and taxpayers can see that their investment is being used responsibly. Ultimately, I want Brunswick County Schools to be measured by whether we give every child who walks through our doors a genuine opportunity to discover their strengths and build a successful future.
How will you support and retain teachers and staff?
Gainey: During my term, Brunswick County Schools teacher pay rose from 35th to 9th in the state. Simultaneously we created student support specialists for elementary and middle schools to handle reports and paperwork, giving teachers more daily planning time. More pay, less paperwork! Teacher satisfaction can be seen by our declining first-year hires: 60 in 2023-24 down to 38 in 2025-26, even as our total number of teachers increased. Brunswick County Schools is retaining and hiring more experienced teachers because they are supported with financial and personnel resources most districts simply cannot provide.
Rupp: Supporting educators starts with listening to them. Competitive compensation matters, and I will advocate for Brunswick County to remain competitive, but retention is about much more than a paycheck. Teachers talk about workload, planning time, discipline, administrative support, classroom resources, and simply feeling respected as professionals. We should examine the demands we place on educators and ask whether those demands actually help them teach students. When they don't, we should be willing to change them. We cannot build great schools without great people. Recruiting talented educators is important, but creating a workplace where those educators feel valued, supported, and want to stay is just as important.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Meet the candidates for Brunswick County Board of Education District 5
