JACKSONVILLE, Onslow County — A new bill in the North Carolina General Assembly could significantly change how Jacksonville elects its City Council members.
Legislation filed this month by Republican Reps. Wyatt Gable and Phil Shepard would require all six members of the Jacksonville City Council to be elected at-large. Under the proposal, every voter in the city would cast ballots for every council seat.
Jacksonville’s current system is split: four council members are elected by district, representing specific wards, while two are elected citywide. The bill would eliminate district-based seats entirely, shifting to a fully at-large system.
Supporters say the change could create a more unified council, with members accountable to the entire city rather than individual neighborhoods.
Critics argue removing ward representation could limit the voices of specific communities, particularly smaller or minority populations that rely on district-based seats for representation.
Opposition to the proposal is already organizing. A Jacksonville resident, Al Burgess, has started a petition urging lawmakers not to approve the change. The petition, hosted on Change.org, is gaining traction among residents.
If approved into law, the change would take effect beginning with the 2027 municipal elections.
Council members would continue serving staggered four-year terms, and the mayor would still be elected citywide.
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House Bill 1038 is currently under consideration in the Committee on Election Law.