Jamezetta Bedford, a two-term Orange County commissioner and tireless advocate for people with disabilities, died Sunday at 67 after complications from a medical procedure, her family said. Bedford represented District 1, which includes Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and was a familiar presence at county meetings, where she pressed hard for schools and services for residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her death leaves the District 1 seat vacant and triggers a formal appointment process that county officials will now have to sort out.
Her family said she died following complications from a procedure on Friday and that a memorial or celebration of life will be planned at a later date. The family asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Autism Society of North Carolina's Camp Royall in Moncure, according to Chapelboro.
Bedford’s record in local government
Bedford moved to Chapel Hill in the early 1990s so her daughter could access local services, then spent years volunteering in area schools before deciding to run for office. Orange County's official biography notes that she served 12 years on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, earned a master's in accounting from UNC in 2004 and worked as a certified public accountant. That financial background was something she often leaned on during county budget debates.
Voters first sent her to the Orange County Board of Commissioners in District 1, and she was re-elected in 2022. Over her time on the board, she served in leadership roles, including stints as both chair and vice-chair.
What happens next for her seat
Under state law, the remaining commissioners have the authority to appoint a qualified replacement. They are required to consult with the county executive committee of the departing commissioner's political party, and there are additional procedures if the board does not act within the required window. The North Carolina General Assembly statute on vacancies, G.S. 153A-27, outlines the appointment timeline and the role of the clerk of superior court if the seat is not filled.
Local reporting has also noted that, because Bedford won the Democratic primary in March, the county Democratic Party can make recommendations to the board about who should represent District 1. Commissioners will decide whether to appoint someone on a temporary basis or for the full term.
Memorial plans and community response
Bedford won the March Democratic primary and, with no November challenger, had been on track to serve another four-year term, according to the News & Observer. As of Sunday, county officials had not released a schedule for public statements or a memorial. The board is expected to address the vacancy and next steps at an upcoming meeting.
The family has asked that donations in her memory go to Camp Royall. Information about the camp and how to give is available from the Autism Society of North Carolina.
