Melissa Mason

Republican | North Carolina

Candidate Profile

Conservative

BIOGRAPHY

Name

Melissa Mason


Party

Republican


Election Year

2026


Election

Republican Primary - Federal, Statewide, State, Judicial, School Board


Race

New Hanover County Schools Board of Education, At-Large Seats (vote for four)


Incumbent

Yes


Links

Melissa Mason websites FacebookXBallotpedia

EDUCATION

Liberty University Online, Ed.D. Special Education, 2025-2026

Canisius College, Buffalo, M.S, Deaf Education, 2001-2002

Nazareth College, Rochester, B.S. Speech Language Pathology, 1997-2001

WORK & MILITARY

Candidate did not provide

AFFILIATIONS

Candidate did not provide

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

Candidate did not provide

POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT

Candidate did not provide

SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS

CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)

Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2023)

Republican Womens Organizations (2022)

RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (3)

David Perry (2022)

John Hinnant (2022)

Republican Womens Organizations (2022)


OTHER INFORMATION

During the New Hanover County Schools Board of Education Regular Meeting on December 5, 2023, candidate motioned and voted in favor of dissolving the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as of January 1, 2024.

Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.

During the New Hanover County Schools Board of Education Book Appeal Hearing on September 1, 2023, candidate voted in favor of temporarily removing the book STAMPED from district classrooms.

PORT CITY DAILY: Primary Election: 2026: NHCS Board of Education candidate questionnaires (02/15/2026): Melissa Mason

Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.

Candidate participated in FORUM: New Hanover County Board of Education Candidates (02/12/2026)

Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations began and is for educational purposes only.

STAR NEWS ONLINE: Meet the candidates: New Hanover Board of Education Republican primary (02/04/2026)

Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.

WHQR: Primary 2026: New Hanover County Board of Education primary candidate Melissa Mason (01/30/2026)

Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.

WECT: Candidate Q & A: Primary Election for New Hanover County Board of Education (01/30/2026)

Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.

PORT CITY DAILY: 2022 Primary Election: Melissa Mason runs for NHCS board (04/20/2022)

Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.

QUESTIONNAIRE

RIGHT TO LIFE

Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.

Strongly Agree

What role should the school serve in helping a student with an unwanted or crisis pregnancy?

The school should function solely as a resource for families by providing students and parents with access to information about all available options. Clear and transparent communication with parents and families should be maintained.


RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

With regard to public schools, what does "separation of church and state" mean to you?

In public schools, “separation of church and state” means protecting the constitutional rights of both students and staff by preventing antagonism toward or discrimination against religious expression, rather than the exclusion of religion entirely from schools.


ECONOMY

What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?

Government funding for public education should be primarily the responsibility of state and local governments, not the federal government. Providing parents with school choice can help foster competition and drive improvements in the quality of public education.

Student loan forgiveness unfairly shifts the financial burden to those not responsible for student debt.

Choose not to answer


IMMIGRATION

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enhances the safety and security of communities by identifying and detaining illegal aliens.

Strongly Agree


EDUCATION

Abortion and gender-affirming providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.

Strongly Disagree

Abortion and gender-affirming providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not be used as resources for instruction or services in schools. A child’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being should be addressed solely by parents and families.

Consequences for bad behavior create a safe and orderly environment, which is essential for student learning.

Agree

Educators should give students a thorough education in America's founding documents and cultivate American patriotism.

Strongly Agree

Students should be educated in the full history and origins of our nation and develop a clear understanding of the founding documents that provide the structure and foundation of the United States.

I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.

Choose not to answer

If you support the teaching of Sex Ed, please answer the following question: Sexual education should include these topics (list all that apply and add your own, if needed) -- abortion methods and side effects; abstinence; consent; contraceptive methods; human anatomy/the reproductive system; physical and emotional health outcomes; sex acts and pleasures of sex; sexual orientation and gender identity; stages of pregnancy and fetal development

Sexual education should be offered on an opt-in basis, allowing parents to determine their child’s participation. For students whose parents opt in, instruction should include abstinence, human anatomy and the reproductive system, sexually transmitted illnesses, sexual abuse awareness and prevention, and the stages of pregnancy and fetal development.

Please list in order the following priorities in relation to the role of a K-12 public school (omitting any that do not apply): American History, Art & Music, Civics, Critical Race Theory, Foreign Language, Gender Identity, Information Technology, Language Arts, Mathematics, Personal Finances, Physical Fitness, Political Activism, Science, Sexuality, Social Emotional Learning, Vocational Learning

Language Arts, Mathematics, American History, Science, Civics, Vocational Learning, Personal Finances, Art and Music, Foreign Language, Information Technology

Public schools should prioritize academic achievement and building character necessary to preserve American traditions and self-government.

Strongly Agree

School choice creates competition, and that competition will push public schools to improve their educational systems.

Agree


2ND AMENDMENT

Faculty who are licensed to carry and have had ongoing training should be allowed to carry guns at school in order to respond to an active shooter situation.

Agree


ABOUT YOU

Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.

No

Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.

No

I voted in these primaries and general elections:

2014 General Election 2016 General Election 2018 General Election 2020 Republican Primary 2020 General Election 2022 Republican Primary 2022 General Election

When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to immigration and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?

Conservative


VALUES

Biological males should be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.

Strongly Disagree

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

My faith is central to my values and decision-making, guiding me to lead with integrity and honesty, foster open dialogue, and pursue peace-making.

Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.

Strongly Agree

I support the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., that people should be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.

Strongly Agree

I believe in judging people by their character, not their skin color, and affirm that all individuals have inherent worth, value, and potential.

Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.

Agree

Mental health conditions such as anorexia and gender dysphoria need to be treated, not affirmed.

Agree

School library books that have literary value, as determined by experts, should be exempt from obscenity laws.

Disagree

North Carolina’s new law (HB 805), starting in 2025–2026, gives parents more control by requiring schools to keep online, searchable catalogs of all library and classroom books. Parents can opt their children out of specific titles, and there’s a process for reviewing challenged books. While another bill proposes banning books with sexual content or “pervasively vulgar” material, HB 805 focuses on giving parents oversight rather than outright censorship.


ELECTIONS AND VOTING

People should be able to vote without photo identification.

Disagree

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