By Gordon Anderson | gordon@rantnc.com

The Lee County Republican Party has recommended school board member Eric Davidson to fill the vacancy left by Republican Taylor Vorbeck’s resignation from the Lee County Board of Commissioners.

Davidson, a business consultant, preacher and educator, has been on the school board since 2022 and was already running for the District 4 seat on the Board of Commissioners (Vorbeck was not seeking re-election in 2026). The district covers much of western Lee County.

The GOP’s role in the appointment is advisory. State law calls for the Board of Commissioners to consult with the political party from which a vacancy comes before making the final decision on Vorbeck’s replacement. The commissioners will have a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday to vote on a resolution appointing Davidson. If passed, he’ll be sworn in following the vote.

Davidson will face Democrat Jamey Laudate for the seat in November.

Davidson’s departure for the Board of Commissioners would add to what’s already an intricate mix on the school board. Republican Marcus Mason had filed to run for Davidson’s seat on the school board in December before being appointed to replace Republican member Megan Garner the next month. He remained on the 2026 ballot for Davidson’s seat and, had he won, would have vacated Garner’s – creating another vacancy. Mason died in a house fire in May.

Separately, Republican Chris Gaster submitted paperwork to the Lee County Board of Elections on Friday taking his own name off the November ballot. First elected in 2022, he filed in December of last year to seek re-election. His notice of withdrawal didn’t note a reason for his decision, although he told The Rant Friday he’d be issuing a statement soon.

But the chain of events means the Lee County Republican Party will be able to appoint two members to the school board, as well as candidates to take Gaster and Mason’s spots on the November ballot. School board vacancies are governed by a different state statute than commissioner vacancies; it gives appointment power directly to the party from which the vacancy comes.

Lee County Republican Party Chairman Jim Womack confirmed on Monday that David Smoak and Laura Stryffler will be appointed to complete Mason and Davidson’s terms, and that Stryffler and Karla Koballa will take Mason and Gaster’s places on the 2026 ballot.