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Democrats win majority on Forsyth County commission

Headshot of Marsie West
Courtesy Marsie West
Marsie West

Democrats have gained control of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, flipping a Republican-held seat in Tuesday's election.

Democrat Marsie West defeated Republican Chris Parker in District B. Since incumbents Dan Besse, Shai Woodbury and Tonya McDaniel all retained their seats, the win means Democrats will have a four-to-three majority on the board.

Parker was appointed to the District B seat in August after the retirement of longtime Republican Commissioner Don Martin, who stepped down after more than a decade in office.

West, a business strategist, ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the commission in 2024. This year, she won with 57% of the vote.

The victory marks a shift in the county's political landscape. While Forsyth voters have generally voted with Democrats in recent presidential elections, Republicans have long maintained a majority on the commission.

April Laissle is a senior reporter and editor at WFDD. Her work has been featured on several national news programs and recognized by the Public Media Journalists Association and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Before joining WFDD in 2019, she worked at public radio stations in Ohio and California.