Democrats tap Ian Baltutis for Alamance House District 63 race

Democrats in Alamance County turned to a familiar Burlington name Thursday, selecting former Mayor Ian Baltutis to replace Whitney Olive in the race for North Carolina House District 63. Baltutis accepted the party’s invitation and was expected to file his candidacy with the Alamance County Board of Elections on Monday, a step that will decide whether his name reaches the ballot in time for the 2026 contest.

The swap came after Olive withdrew from the race, though her exit showed how unsettled the contest had become. Olive had filed for District 63 on Dec. 14, 2025, then later posted and deleted a social media message about leaving the race before telling local reporters she was still a candidate as of April 21. That left Democrats scrambling late in the filing cycle and made Baltutis’ entry more than a routine candidate switch. It was a last-minute pivot in a district where deadlines and paperwork carry real consequences.

State election rules made the timing especially important. Candidate filing for most 2026 contests ran from noon Dec. 1, 2025, to noon Dec. 19, 2025, and candidates who wanted to withdraw had to submit the proper withdrawal form by the deadline or remain on the ballot. Against that backdrop, the county Democratic executive committee’s decision to tap Baltutis effectively reset the party’s race for a seat that had already been moving for months.

The Republican side of the matchup was already set. Ryan Moffitt, an attorney and Alamance County Chamber of Commerce leader, is expected to face Baltutis for the seat now held by outgoing Republican state Rep. Stephen M. Ross. Ross announced Dec. 3, 2025 that he would not seek reelection after six terms in the North Carolina House. He had represented District 63 since Jan. 1, 2023, and his term ends Jan. 1, 2027.

For Alamance County voters, the race matters because District 63 covers a large share of the county, including Burlington precincts such as Coble and Central Boone, while the county remains split between House Districts 63 and 64. The winner will help shape who carries Burlington and nearby communities, including Elon, into Raleigh on issues such as schools, taxes, roads, public safety, and economic development.

Baltutis brings a long local résumé to the contest. He previously served three terms as Burlington’s youngest-ever mayor from 2015 to 2021, then returned to the Burlington City Council after earning a master’s degree in city and regional planning. Democrats now have a candidate with municipal experience and name recognition, and the seat is poised to become one of the county’s most closely watched races.