“Why Should I Be Elected?”: 2025 Election Coverage concludes with mayoral and town council candidates answers to this question.
Holly Springs (NC) residents can vote early now or head to the polls on November 4th to cast votes for mayor and three town council positions.
Holly Springs, NC, Oct. 28, 2025 — As part of its concluding pre-election day coverage of the 2025 municipal election, Holly Springs Update asked each candidate for mayor and town council to respond to one final question: “Why should I be elected?”
Each candidate’s unedited response can be found below with links to their campaign websites. This marks the final installment in Holly Springs Update’s comprehensive election coverage, developed in partnership with What’s Happening Holly Springs Facebook Group.
Earlier important coverage (link) featured candidate responses to 11 key questions crafted from reader submissions and community input. Those questions addressed issues central to Holly Springs’ future, including growth, traffic and transportation, schools, housing, public safety, water quality, small business, regional planning, parks and the environment, arts and culture, financial stewardship, and industrial strategy.
Voter Information: Early Voting Underway for Wake County Municipal Elections: Where and How to Vote
CANDIDATE RESPONSES
Note: Candidates’ responses are listed in alphabetical order by their last name.
Mayoral Candidates
(Vote for one)
Mike Kondratick
During this campaign, I’ve made it clear on whom I’m primarily focused: Holly Springs residents.
Since March, I’ve been working to earn your trust by talking to thousands of you at your doors. I understand the issues most important to you. And your ideas for how they should be addressed.
Your voice created my vision for Holly Springs. A Holly Springs where:
Leaders, when faced with our most difficult challenges of traffic and congestion, have the courage to ask how we can fix them together, rather than just claiming there’s nothing we can do;
Affordability is a priority. I want Holly Springs to be affordable for my family. Your family. Our kids. Our parents. Our teachers. Our nurses. And the first responders who keep us safe;
Our leaders invest their time to actively seek your opinions;
You understand that your opinions are valued and can see how they are reflected in your leaders’ actions;
Small business owners know leaders are willing to push boundaries to help ensure their profitability; and
Every resident—native or newcomer—knows their mayor is their champion.
My promise to you is that, as hard as I’ve worked to create this vision with you is as hard as I’ll work to make it a reality over the next four years.
I look forward to earning your vote.
Website: https://www.mikeforhs.com/
Sean Mayefskie (incumbent)
Over the past four years, it’s been my honor to serve as your Mayor of Holly Springs. As a small business owner and long-time resident, I’ve worked to bring the same fiscal responsibility and common-sense leadership from running a small business to our town government. Together, we’ve achieved a AAA credit rating, opened Fire Station 3, and launched key infrastructure projects that keep Holly Springs moving forward—like expanding our water capacity and improving major roadways.
I’ve made it a priority to stay connected with our residents, never missing a council or workshop meeting and hosting regular Mayor’s Chats to hear what matters most to you. Our town has earned national recognition for outstanding service and community satisfaction—and that’s something we should all be proud of.
Looking ahead, I’m committed to keeping our momentum strong. I’ll continue to support smart infrastructure improvements, attract quality jobs, and protect our green spaces while maintaining our small-town charm. My promise is simple: responsible growth, strong services, and steady leadership without raising taxes. Holly Springs is thriving—and together, we’ll keep it that way. I ask for your vote on November 4th.
Website: https://seanforhs.com/
Town Council Candidates
(Vote for three)
Joe Cuccurullo
I entered this race to help protect what makes Holly Springs special while planning smartly for what comes next. I am a husband, a father, a teacher, and a small business owner. I have served on the Planning Board, the Tree Advisory Committee, and the Land Use Advisory Committee. I have spent years studying how our town truly works, from zoning maps to infrastructure plans to the realities of a one hundred seventeen million dollar municipal budget.
I see this town through many lenses. As a business owner, I understand how small businesses anchor our economy. As a teacher, I understand how families choose communities based on safety and opportunity. As a parent and homeowner, I know what it is like to uproot my life and rebuild because of high taxes, deteriorating public safety, and declining quality of life. Those experiences shaped my belief that the government must remain accountable, disciplined, and focused on the fundamentals that make a town thrive.
My campaign is grounded in one guiding principle: Protect the Progress while Preparing for the Future. That means maintaining low taxes, prioritizing upkeep and responsible growth, ensuring our public safety professionals have the tools they need, making sound infrastructure investments, and safeguarding our community character through a strong small business base.
We can strengthen our economy without raising taxes, modernize without overreaching, and preserve our small-town character while planning for a sustainable future. This election is about steady leadership that listens, learns, and acts.
I will continue to serve Holly Springs with transparency, respect, and common sense. Together, we can protect the progress, prepare for the future, and keep Holly Springs the community we are proud to call home and our kids want to come back to.
Website: https://joeforhollysprings.com/
Annie Drees (incumbent)
For the past two years, I have been honored to serve on the Holly Springs Town Council, working every day to make our community stronger, more transparent, and more connected. I ran for office because I believe residents deserve a voice in how our town grows, and that belief continues to guide every decision I make. I’ve championed accessibility and open communication, creating new opportunities for residents to engage with Council and share their perspectives on the issues that matter most.
As an engineer, I take a data-driven approach to problem-solving, always balancing growth with fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability. I’ve consistently voted to protect property rights and support affordable housing so that teachers, first responders, and families can continue to call Holly Springs home. I’ve championed smart investments in infrastructure and roads, and supported our first micro transit program, so it’s easier, safer, and more convenient for everyone to get around town. My vision for our town is one of thoughtful progress, where we plan for the future while preserving what makes Holly Springs special today.
I believe leadership means doing the work, being transparent about decisions, and making choices that reflect the values and priorities of our residents. That’s why I have committed to not accepting developer dollars in this campaign. My focus is on serving the people of Holly Springs and not special interests.
We need leaders who think big but act responsibly, who understand that sustainable growth, strong infrastructure, and fiscal discipline go hand in hand. Over the past two years, I’ve worked hard to build that balance, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made together. With your support, I will continue to bring integrity, transparency, and practical problem-solving to Town Council as we shape the next chapter of Holly Springs’ future.
Website: https://www.anniedrees4hollysprings.com/
Tim Forrest (incumbent)
Serving the residents of Holly Springs over the past four years has been an incredible honor. As our town continues to grow, my focus has remained steady: keeping Holly Springs safe, strong, and sustainable for generations to come.
I’m running for re-election because our work isn’t finished. Over the past term, we’ve made major progress — securing over $236 million in state funding for road and traffic improvements, advancing the Sanford water treatment partnership, expanding parks and greenways, and strengthening public safety staffing and pay. We’ve also slowed residential growth to better align infrastructure and services while encouraging balanced economic development that brings jobs and broadens our tax base.
The next four years are about delivering on what we’ve started:
Completing critical road projects like Holly Springs Road, Avent Ferry, and the NC 55 Bypass upgrades.
Launching the Holly Springs Hopper micro-transit system to improve local mobility.
Continuing investments in public safety, parks, and stormwater resilience.
Ensuring responsible growth that does not outpace our infrastructure so we maintain the quality of life residents expect.
Protecting the hometown character that makes Holly Springs one of North Carolina’s best places to raise a family.
As a retired U.S. Army Colonel and long-time resident, I approach every decision with the same principles I lived by in uniform — service, accountability, and teamwork. I believe in listening first, putting facts over politics, and making sure every voice in our community is heard.
Together, we’ve built momentum. Let’s keep it going — with smart, responsible growth, fiscal discipline, and a continued commitment to the people who call Holly Springs home.
Website: https://timforrest4hs.com/
Kara Foster
My name is Kara Foster, I’m a mom, small business owner, and local eye doctor who’s spent my career listening, problem-solving, and helping people see clearly, both in and out of the exam chair.
For the past 16 years, I’ve lived, worked, and raised my family here. I didn’t just move here for a job, I built my business from scratch and built my life here, too. My roots are deep, and I’m not going anywhere. I want to make sure that as our town grows, it continues to be a place where families can put down roots like I did, and where my own children can one day come back to live, work, and thrive.
As president of Volunteer Optometrists for Humanity North Carolina (VOSH), I provide eye care to underserved people locally and overseas. Service isn’t just part of my job, it’s part of who I am. I believe leadership means rolling up your sleeves, finding common ground, and lifting others up.
If elected, I’ll bring that same spirit of teamwork and compassion to the Town Council, supporting small businesses, protecting the character of our community, and keeping our focus on people over politics.
I believe in the power of connection, collaboration, and care, because when we work together, everyone benefits.
On November 4th, I’d be honored to earn your vote. Let’s show what makes Holly Springs strong, because high tides make all boats rise.
Website: https://karaforcouncil.com/
Sarah Larson
For more than a decade, I’ve been deeply involved in serving Holly Springs by volunteering on town boards, community projects, and local organizations to help make our town a better place for everyone. I’ve spent this campaign, and the years before it, listening to residents and making sure you remain the number one stakeholder in our community. I’m proud to say I have not accepted any Super PAC or special interest money. My only interest is representing the people of Holly Springs.
Local elections matter. Your vote shapes the future of our town. I hope I’ve earned your trust and your vote, and I promise to continue working hard for you and your family.
Website: https://larsonforgovernment.com/
Josh Prizer
I recently spoke with a gentleman at HollyFest who shared a quote from Theodore Roosevelt that really resonated with me:
“The way to be good citizens of the nation is to be good citizens of Oyster Bay.”
I couldn’t agree more. Holly Springs is a wonderful community, and it’s our residents who make it that way. There are many ways to be good citizens, and for me, that means helping guide our town toward an even brighter future.
My priorities are clear:
I do not want to see any resident paying a penny more in municipal taxes. Keeping taxes flat as we grow is possible—but it requires hard work, responsibility, and fiscal discipline.
I will ensure that Holly Springs remains one of the safest towns in North Carolina by keeping our Police and Fire Departments fully funded, fully staffed, and equipped with top-tier training and apparatus.
As we continue to grow, we must be smart and strategic. We need to identify areas of need across town and prioritize them thoughtfully. We must continue to push the NCDOT for greater attention and action on our transportation infrastructure. And we must think long-term—planning 15 to 20 years ahead, not just for today.
I firmly believe I’m the right person for this job because I’ve done the work and I’m ready to serve on day one. I want to represent all citizens of Holly Springs and help build an even stronger, safer, and more connected community for generations to come.
As your councilman, I promise to listen to all voices, provide transparency and access, and govern with the best interests of our town in mind.
I humbly ask for your vote on Tuesday, November 4. Together, let’s keep Holly Springs moving forward.
Website: https://joshforhollysprings.com/