Michael R. Nelson is an American politician who served as Mayor of
Carrboro, North Carolina
Carrboro is a town in Orange County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 21,295 at the 2020 census.county commissioner
A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...
for
Orange County
Orange County most commonly refers to:
*Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Orange County may also refer to:
U.S. counties
*Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando
*Orange County, Indiana
*Orange County, New ...
from 2006 to 2009. Nelson, who is a co-founder of
Equality North Carolina
Equality NC (ENC) is the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights advocacy group and political lobbying organization in North Carolina and is the oldest statewide LGBT equality organization in the United States.
Structure
Equality NC ...
, was the first openly gay mayor in North Carolina. At the time of his inauguration, he was one of five openly gay mayors in the United States. When he left his mayoral office in 2005, he was the longest-serving mayor in Carrboro's history.
Early life
Mike Nelson grew up in
Jacksonville, North Carolina
Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the 14th-largest city in North Carolina. Jacksonville is the county seat and most populous commun ...
. His father was an attorney for the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
and his mother was a teacher. He attended the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
, and came out as gay his sophomore year. He graduated in 1989 with a degree in political science and eventually became a production manager for a clothing manufacturing company in
Chapel Hill Chapel Hill or Chapelhill may refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Chapel Hill (Antarctica) Australia
*Chapel Hill, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane
*Chapel Hill, South Australia, in the Mount Barker council area
Canada
* Chapel Hill, Ottawa, a neighbo ...
.
Political career
In 1987 Nelson managed Joe Herzenberg's successful campaign for election to the Chapel Hill Town Council. He then decided to start his own political career in the nearby town of
Carrboro
Carrboro is a town in Orange County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 21,295 at the 2020 census.aldermen, losing by 30 votes. In 1990 he participated in local campaign efforts for the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
domestic partnerships
A domestic partnership is a legal relationship, usually between couples, who live together and share a common domestic life, but are not married (to each other or to anyone else). People in domestic partnerships receive benefits that guarantee r ...
, including the offering of health benefits to domestic partners of town employees. In 1995 he sought election as Mayor of Carrboro, downplaying his sexuality and focusing on environmental issues, development, and taxation. He defeated two other candidates in the November election, earning almost 50 percent of the votes. Nelson was seated as Mayor on December 5, 1995. His inauguration made him one of five openly gay mayors in the United States at the time and the first openly gay mayor in North Carolina. In 1997 he and the aldermen agreed to purchase the building of the former Carrboro Baptist Church, which was subsequently turned into town offices and an events center. The following year the town created a
Fête de la Musique
The Fête de la Musique, also known in English as Music Day, Make Music Day or World Music Day, is an annual music celebration that takes place on 21 June. On Music Day, citizens and residents are urged to play music outside in their neighborho ...
committee, with Nelson serving as a founding member.
Nelson left office in 2005, departing as the longest-serving mayor in Carrboro's history. The following year he was elected to a seat on the
Orange County
Orange County most commonly refers to:
*Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Orange County may also refer to:
U.S. counties
*Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando
*Orange County, Indiana
*Orange County, New ...
Board of Commissioners. In 2007 he registered as a candidate for a seat in the
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...
, but withdrew when incumbent
Eleanor Kinnaird
Eleanor Gates 'Ellie' Kinnaird (born November 14, 1931) is a North Carolina politician who served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 23rd Senate district from January 1997 until her resignatio ...
announced her intention to seek re-election. In 2009 he announced his decision to not seek reelection to the county commission. In 2017 he signed an open letter endorsing the Durham–Orange Light Rail Transit project.