Apex 2025 Municipal Election Update
The ballot for this November in Apex is starting to take shape, with several current Council Members declining to run and several new candidates announcing their campaigns
We have elections every year in Apex, either Presidential, the so called “off year” with Congressional and State races, or in odd years like 2025 there are Municipal Elections. Whether this is a good idea is up for debate—I, along with many others, believe municipal elections should move to even years, but that's a discussion for another time.
Let’s talk about this year’s election. Who is up, and who is running?
Key Takeaways: Ed Gray, Audra Killingsworth, and Brett Gantt are up for re-election this year. Audra and Brett have said they are not running, and so far two first time candidates Sue Mu and Shane Reese have announced they are running.
The Basics
The Apex Town Council has 5 positions along with an elected Mayor. In 2023, 2 positions and the Mayor were up for election. Consequently in 2025 the other 3 Town Council Positions are up - a majority of the board.
The election will be held on November 4th 2025. Candidate filing runs from 8:30 am July 7th to noon on July 18th.
The positions up for election are currently held by Brett Gantt, Audra Killingsworth, and Ed Gray, the “BAE” team (❤️) that swept in 2021.
The Mayor is not up for election, nor am I, nor is Arno. We are up in 2027.
Who Is Not Running
Things could change - but as of right now, Brett Gantt and Audra Killingsworth have both publicly declared they do NOT intend to file for re-election. Brett has been a strong advocate for pedestrian and greenway construction in Apex. His expertise will be sorely missed. Audra has been the a strong, consistent progressive voice and advocate for LGBTQ rights, women’s issues, and so much more in her time. I worry a lot about how we’ll fill their shoes once they’re gone.
Who Is Running
That leaves Ed Gray. A quick scan of Ed’s Facebook page doesn’t show an official announcement, but my baseline assumption is, absent a declaration otherwise, incumbents tend to file for re-election.
So if we pencil in Ed Gray as running for now, that leaves two vacant spots. Has anyone else stepped forward?
Meet Sue Mu
Sue Mu announced her candidacy and held a kickoff event on March 1st. And, wow, it was a party! There were probably 150 people there, including 12 Elected Officials. Her webpage currently lists 23 endorsements from other local electeds. I support Sue and encourage you to learn more about her.
Sue is the chair of MOVENC PAC and MOVENC Foundation, and is no stranger to politics. Please read her webpage to learn more about her, but in short her platform is built around a few tenants:
Balanced Growth and Development
Environmental Sustainability
Economic Development (including Small Business Support)
Public Safety and Health
Transportation and Connectivity
All very important topics, and in the coming months I look forward to hearing more from Sue about her ideas.
Meet Shane Reese
For those who have been involved in civic life in Apex at any point in the past decade, the only surprise here is that Shane didn’t run sooner.
Shane has been a constant presence in Apex, in particular when advocating for Salem Street. He was integral in the formation of the downtown plan and is a former ADBA President. He has helped push and defend ordinances related to downtown development in the past. You may know him as the driving force behind the “Peak City Podcast”, his labor of love for the past decade or so.
We all know Shane. And what we know is there is no one more prepared to be on the Apex Town Council than he is.
In terms of his platform; in his words:
My goal is simple: to make local government work for everyone in Apex, so you can focus on what matters most – your family, your work, and your activities. Effective local government is where we put our heads together in a constructive way to figure out how we're going to fix that pothole or build that park, so people can enjoy Apex and get where they need to go – and if we don't have the jurisdiction to solve a challenge today, let’s find the right partners to get it done. It’s all about moving forward, one sidewalk and one fire engine at a time. This campaign is built on trust, respect, and a shared belief in collaboration – because when we come together as neighbors, we can achieve so much more.
My core platform focuses on three key priorities:
1. Ensure Responsible Growth: Act as a vigilant watchdog for new developments that promote well-planned growth, including rejecting slash-and-build construction and encouraging homes at price points that welcome a variety of backgrounds and incomes.
2. Boost Business and Promote Downtown: Support small businesses by expanding our small business incubator program, and enhance the heart of Apex as a hub for our entire community by fast-tracking our Downtown Plan.
3. Protect Our Small-Town Quality of Life: Maintain the neighborly spirit and sense of belonging that make Apex the “Peak of Good Living” by building more greenways, expanding parks, and extending sidewalks.
Shane currently has the endorsement of 10 local leaders, including myself. I encourage you to learn more about Shane, be on the lookout for events and other opportunities to hear from him, and join me in supporting him this November.
Protip: Check Active Committees
The smooth insider way to know when someone decides they are going to run is watch the Active Committees page on the Wake County Board of Elections website.
From this page I’ll note that former Apex Town Council candidates Peter Connerton, Tayon Dancy, and Christine Hale all still have their committees “open”. I have not seen any public announcements from them as to their plans for 2025, so whether or not this indicates an intention to run now, run in the future, or simply is an oversight in not formally closing their committee after their election has yet to be seen.
That’s all for now. We have a work session tomorrow (Tuesday, 3/18) and a Town Council meeting next Tuesday (3/25).
-terry
Thank you Terry!
Thank you for keeping us informed