Sarika Bansal Wins Closely Fought Runoff Election for Seat on Cary Town Council in North Carolina

Sarika Bansal has become the first Indian American woman to serve on Cary Town Council in North Carolina, “representing the growing Indian and Asian population in District D,” according to Indy Daily, the daily morning headlines from around the Triangle. Bansal’s election result was among those certified on Nov. 28 by the North Carolina Board of Elections, “bringing some closure to a number of races in towns across Wake County that were extremely close,” Indy Daily added. 

Despite topping the ballot in the Oct. 10 municipal election, Bansal was challenged to a runoff by her opponent Rachel Jordan, after she fell just short of the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Bansal, the only person of color running for a town council seat in Cary received 48.67 percent of the vote, while Jordan got 28 percent of the vote, News & Observer reported. The runoff was held on Election Day, Nov. 7.

After polls closed, Bansal appeared to have won by a mere 67 votes, about 1.2 percent of total ballots cast. Because votes for the Cary District D race were cast in both Wake and Chatham counties, the results did not become final (or official) until the statewide canvass on Tuesday.  Still, both candidates made announcements on social media after Wake and Chatham counties completed their individual canvases on November 17, with Bansal claiming victory and Jordan appearing to concede. Those county results stand following the statewide canvass: Bansal won with 2,760 votes (50.55 percent) over Jordan, who earned 2,700 votes (49.45 percent). 

District D consists of west Cary and parts of Chatham County. The district was represented by Ya Liu before she resigned from the post to serve in the state House of Representatives. Cary is home to over 180,000 residents, and Asian Americans make up 20% of the population.

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An advocate for women’s rights and better mental health resources throughout the community. Bansal knows “the importance of community service,” her website says she moved to Cary in 2015 to pursue a career in cyber security. Five years ago, she and her husband Naresh Lunani started a small, Raj Jewel business.

The new town council will be sworn in on Dec. 5.