Ron Hester Announces Bid For Selma Mayor, Wants To Be ‘A Voice For The People’
SELMA, N.C. – Longtime Selma businessman and community leader Ron Hester has announced he is running for mayor, saying he wants to restore trust in town government and give residents a stronger voice.
Hester, who has lived continuously in Selma since 1995, said he wants to follow in the footsteps of his late father, Charles Hester, who served two terms as mayor.
“I want to be a voice for the people of Selma,” Hester said. He said he will “take time to listen” and believes many residents currently do not feel they have a voice with the town administration.
Hester said transparency and accountability would be among his top priorities if elected.
“If elected, one of my top priorities during my first year would be to restore transparency and accountability in Town government,” Hester said. “I would work with the Town Council and staff to make the Town’s finances easier for residents and businesses to understand, while also establishing clear expectations for communication and accountability.”
Hester said residents should be able to understand how their money is being spent and why town leaders make certain decisions.
“I want residents to know where their tax dollars are going, how decisions are being made, and why those decisions are in the best interest of Selma,” Hester said. “I would also work to improve employee retention and morale by listening to Town employees and addressing the reasons behind the high turnover.”
Hester said rebuilding confidence in town government would be his goal during his first year in office.
“My goal for the first year would be simple: rebuild trust in Town government by listening to our residents, respecting our businesses and employees, and being transparent about the decisions we make,” Hester said.
Hester is a 1977 graduate of Smithfield-Selma High School and has longstanding family and business ties to Selma.
His grandparents operated the old Red & White grocery store in Selma for many years. Growing up in a military family, Hester lived in several communities in the United States and abroad but frequently returned to Selma.
Born in 1959 at Camp Lejeune, Hester lived at various times in Baltimore, Maryland; Gretna, Louisiana; Middletown, Rhode Island; and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Hester later followed his family into business.
Beginning in 1993, he worked alongside his father through several family businesses, including Southern Partners, Hester Properties and Barbetta LLC. Following his father’s death in February 2019, Hester assumed ownership and responsibility for the businesses.
Today, he manages multiple state buildings and other properties across North Carolina.
Hester is president of the Selma Lions Club, serves on the Board of Directors of the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Johnston County Arts Council and serves on the Activate Selma board.
He and his wife of 11 years, Heidi Wall Hester, a local certified public accountant, are members of Princeton Church.
During the Christmas season, Hester is also a familiar face at local events, where he enjoys playing Santa Claus.
Hester said his campaign will focus on his business experience, community service and longtime connection to Selma. He said he wants to follow his father’s example of helping people while making sure residents believe their concerns are being heard.
Hester is running for mayor during Selma’s 2027 municipal election cycle. His name will not appear on the November 2026 general election ballot.
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I hope he wins. Selma residents have been bamboozled to death. Mr. Hester comes from a family known for their service to the citizens of Selma.
I hope so too. I was a longtime resident of Selma as is my son, currently.
Too much drama now.
Yeah!! Maybe I won’t sale my house now!!
He’s really no different from the one we have now just another color I like McAllister
Would love to know your motivation behind this statement. Why do you like McAllister?
Bye Bye Byron
but if everyone’s in his pocket this doesn’t change the problem. it doesn’t fix regulations being changed to stop family from gaining promotions, doesn’t change people being moved into place to ensure only their personal needs are passed into budget, and it doesn’t stop manipulating young town employees on who to and who to vote.
Are you questioning his moral character? Your comment is confusing.
Not sure I understand what you’re saying. Ron has no-one in his pocket. What regulations? What family would he promote?
That’s the best news to come out of Selma in a long time.
I don’t live in Selma, but I’ve read all about it’s recent problems and the current mayor. I have all idea that guy is HISTORY come election time.
Yes!
Please and thank you!
Ron will be a welcome change
This is wonderful news!!
Vote, Vote, and vote! It’s the ONLY way things will change.
Nothing says “good ol’ boy network” like a Hester.
Yes, Ron knows a lot of people. He will be the best choice for mayor in the next election because he CARES about Selma. Current administration doesn’t care and has no desire to care. They just want $$$ and doesn’t matter how they get it either. Citizens be dam*ed.
Id take that over Yankee influence any day of the week.
And it finally appears … someone yet again blaming folks from the North for all of the local problems. It’s just too easy. See, if you don’t understand a problem and probably never will, then just play the North / South card. You’ll sleep better, and next time you drive by the library you can look and say “What is that nice building for?”.
It pretty much comes to down to race… no one is saying it but if mayor mcallister was white… there wouldn’t be all this uproar. Plain and simple.
That is 100% not true. Corruption is non-biased. Non-transparency is a choice, not a color.
What is your basis for calling him part of a good old boy network?
He should easily win by a landside but Selma can screw up the simplest of things
Ron Hester has always been pro Selma and will do what is right for the citizens. I cannot think of a better candidate for Mayor.
As an old friend of Ron, I support him completely! Ron has matured into an exceptional leader. He takes ownership and will improve on processes toward positive growth for Selma and Johnston County. Ron has always taken responsibility for all his decisions.
Ron is a childhood friend of mine and I have watched him grow to be an awesome husband, brother, son , and uncle . As a friend he always has an open mind and positive attitude to listen to my concerns and worries about the hometown Selma that I grew up in and proud to call home He has the business mind and compassion that Selma needs to continue to grow to be a better place to live. Now it is up to the citizens of Selma to get out and VOTE FOR CHANGE!!
Wonder what is his platform for change?
His platform is transparency in government. He wants the people of Selma to know where their tax dollars are being spent. He wants people to be able to talk freely about issues that come up. The current Mayor doesn’t want either of those things. He gags his own council to the point that they quit. It’s so bad, that both Susan and William couldn’t take it anymore. Mayor only wants people that agree with him and are so far up his A$$ that they don’t have a mind of their own anymore. He wants puppets. Prove me wrong……
I grew up in Selma and it was a great place to live 60’s 70’s. I remember Ron Hester, his father and sister. They were a very respectable family. I believe Ron would show the Town of Selma residents compassion and fully involve his council and other department leaders in issues that are important for the good of the town, which is what a true leader does. Not a leader that makes life difficult for its residents or governs by engaging in cronyism and intimidation.
It’s about time someone else steps up. I am all for anyone at this point to turn around Selma. I believe Hester can do it. Keep the community in mind, which includes the homeless, the poor, the ones who work several jobs to make ends meet. It takes a village and yet we have become separate in all that we do. Stand together, for everyone, we are all equal.