Good morning. Mayor Mitch Colvin won reelection Tuesday night, defeating Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen and securing a fifth term in office, according to unofficial results from the Cumberland County Board of Elections.
Jensen, who has represented District 1 since 2013, will lose her council seat as a result of the mayoral bid. According to unofficial results, Colvin received 12,515 votes (60.04%), while Jensen earned 7,908 votes (37.94%). Write-in candidates accounted for 420 votes, or 2.02%.
Reflecting on his win, Colvin told CityView he laid out the strongest case for why experience and stability were critical in this moment and how he could deliver that. Read our lead story for more.
Welcome to CityView Today. We spent yesterday checking in at various precincts across Cumberland County; read our vignettes from Election Day below as well as election results in Fayetteville, Spring Lake, Hope Mills, and more. In Hope Mills, a few incumbent commissioners lost seats, and while the mayoral race proved to be especially tight, Mayor Jessie Bellflowers retained his seat, per unofficial results. We’ll have stories later today on what those who won and those who lost have to say about the 2025 election season. And while we write a lot about the bigger cities and towns, Cumberland County is home to a total of nine municipalities, including several smaller towns. One of them—Eastover, which was incorporated in 2007 and with a population of 3,666 people in 2023—has only ever known one mayor: Charles McLaurin. He won his 10th mayoral term last night, which he tells columnist Bill Kirby Jr. will be his last.
Thanks for reading,
Maydha Devarajan
Editor-in-Chief
Colvin reelected to fifth term in Fayetteville mayoral race
Fayetteville mayoral race ends with Colvin securing a fifth term, per unofficial results from the Cumberland County Board of Elections.
More from CityView
LIVE: Cumberland County election results and updates
Check out 2025 election updates and results from Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Spring Lake, and other smaller towns in Cumberland County.
THE KIRBY FILE: Just another election night for the only mayor Eastover has ever known
No reason for frayed nerves or nail-biting Tuesday evening for Charles McLaurin, the only mayor this community has known.
Events
TECH TIME AT EAST REGIONAL LIBRARY
- Where: East Regional Branch Library, 4809 Clinton Road, Fayetteville
- When: 10-11:30 a.m. today
- What: Whether you need help setting up an email account, learning how to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or anything in between, we’re here to help you with your computer, tablet or smartphone questions. No appointment necessary.
WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP AT THE GARDEN
- Where: Cape Fear Botanical Garden, 536 N. Eastern Blvd., Fayetteville
- When: 6-8 p.m. today
- What: In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn techniques for designing and assembling beautiful seasonal fall or winter wreaths using fresh greenery, natural accents, and decorative elements.
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION
- Where: Robeson Community College, 5160 Fayetteville Road, Lumberton
- When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. today
- What: Robeson Community College is hosting a Native American Heritage Month event on campus.
Obituaries
Edith Gray Tillman
Edith Gray Tillman passed away on Monday, Nov. 3,.
Charles W. Black Sr.
Charles W. Black Sr., 89, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 2
True Melvin Bond
True Melvin Bond, 58, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 1.
Until tomorrow!
🙈 The Fayetteville Anime-Fest is coming to the Crown Expo Center on Dec. 20 this year. A press release describes the event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as “an anime collector’s mecca,” aiming to bring together enthusiasts and collectors for “an unforgettable celebration of Japanese animation and fandom.” More details here.
~ Maydha
