Sanford-area business owner April Montgomery has announced she will run for the North Carolina House of Representatives as an unaffiliated candidate.
Republican John Sauls has held the seat since 2016, and served two terms from 2002 to 2006 prior to that. District 51 currently covers Lee County and part of Moore County. Sauls hasn’t announced whether he plans to seek an eighth term in the legislature next year.
“I am running for N.C. House District 51 because I am committed to putting people first, not politics,” Montgomery said in a news release. “I believe that our state government should be responsive to the needs and concerns of all residents, and I’m dedicated to working across party lines to drive positive change.”
Montgomery is a graduate of Florida State University and the University of Florida. She has served on various local boards and organizations, including the Sanford Area Growth Alliance and the Lee County Environmental Affairs Board.
Unaffiliated candidates require signatures from 4 percent of the voters in the district they seek to serve (2,275 for District 51) in order to get on the ballot. Montgomery said in a social media post that she’s seeking 2,500 signatures total. Click here for information on how to sign the petition.
Montgomery has launched a campaign website and a Facebook page. Filing for 2026 races in North Carolina will begin in December.