Nancy Vaughan
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Nancy Vaughan
| office = Mayor of Greensboro
| term_start = December 3, 2013
| term_end =
| predecessor = Robbie Perkins
| successor =
| office1 = Mayor Pro tem of Greensboro
| term_start1 = 2007
| term_end1 = 2013
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|2|26}}
| birth_place = New Jersey, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic
| spouse = Don Vaughan (divorced)
| children = 3
| relatives = Fred Barakat (father)
| education = Fairfield University
| image =
| caption = Vaughan in 2022
}}
Nancy Vaughan (born Nancy Barakat, and formerly Nancy Mincello) is the 48th mayor of Greensboro, North Carolina.{{Cite web|url=http://nrcopydesk.wikifoundry.com/page/Greensboro+mayors|title=Greensboro mayors - N&R Copy Desk|website=nrcopydesk.wikifoundry.com|accessdate=Oct 5, 2019}} Having previously served on the city council in district 4 and at large, she was elected mayor on November 5, 2013, with 59% of the vote.{{cite web|last=Choate|first=Paul|title=Vaughan wins Greensboro mayoral election, defeats Perkins|url=http://myfox8.com/2013/11/05/vaughan-wins-greensboro-mayoral-election-defeats-perkins/|work=Fox8 WGHP|date=6 November 2013|accessdate=10 January 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.news-record.com/news/article_38cf4cd8-4666-11e3-a735-0019bb30f31a.html|title=Nancy Vaughan cruises in Greensboro mayor's seat|date=5 November 2013 |accessdate=10 January 2014}} Vaughan was sworn in on December 3, 2013.{{cite web|title=New city council members, mayor in Greensboro|url=http://myfox8.com/2013/12/03/new-city-council-members-mayor-in-greensboro/|work=Fox 8 WGHP|date=3 December 2013|accessdate=10 January 2014}} She was reelected in 2015, 2017 and 2022.
Vaughan served as the executive director of the Guilford Green Foundation, an LGBT advocacy group, from February 2016 until January 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://guilfordgreenfoundation.org/guilford-green-foundation-who-we-are/ggf-history/|title=Guilford Green Foundation History · Guilford Green Foundation|website=Guilford Green Foundation|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-21}}
Early life
Vaughan was born and raised in New Jersey. She is the daughter of Fred Barakat.{{cite web |last=Newsom |first=John |title=Campaign spending pays off in most city races |date=24 February 2014 |url=http://www.news-record.com/news/government/article_49f5c500-9d69-11e3-ba45-0017a43b2370.html |access-date=5 November 2014 |publisher=News & Record}}
Political career
Greensboro first elected Vaughan to city council in 1997 in council district 4. She served two terms before leaving to raise her daughter, Catherine.{{Cite web|last=McKenith|first=DaVonté|date=2017-06-19|title=Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan announces re-election bid|url=https://www.wxii12.com/article/greensboro-mayor-nancy-vaughan-announces-re-election/10044541|access-date=2020-10-18|website=WXII|language=en}} Before her first council run, she had become known for leading a fight against the city's plans for a tract of land formerly owned by Jefferson Pilot. She was petitioning to stop them from re-zoning for higher density. Her talking points during her first run included expanding the city's landfill and water capacity, and increasing Greensboro's size through annexation.{{Cite web|last=Barron|first=Andrew|date=June 13, 1997|title=NEW GARDEN ACTIVIST SEEKS CITY COUNCIL SEAT\|url=https://greensboro.com/new-garden-activist-seeks-city-council-seat/article_82e58d40-bcca-530f-8f87-d426f4ef5968.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-10-18|website=Greensboro News and Record|language=en}}
She ran again at-large in 2007, where she served as Mayor Pro tem until becoming mayor in 2013.
= Tenure as Mayor =
Vaughan has come under criticism for enforcing an arbitrary code of conduct at city council meetings. These rules prohibit members of the public from speaking on matters "in litigation" or speaking in a way that Vaughan "deem[s] to be an 'attack'" on any city employee during meetings.{{Cite web|url=https://triad-city-beat.com/new-city-council-rules/|title=Citizens concerned that new Greensboro city council rules infringe on right to free speech|last=Matsuoka|first=Sayaka|date=2019-10-08|website=The NC Triad's altweekly|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-15}} This move was criticized by citizens, watch groups, and multiple members of city council who say they were not informed of the code of conduct before Vaughan began enforcing it at the October 2 city council meeting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/community/new-rules-during-public-comment-greensboro-city-council/83-18d972a9-cb59-4d7f-9f02-08d86493b410|title='We Shouldn't Be Doing It,' Not All Greensboro City Council Members On Board With New Public Comment Guidelines|last=Tansino|first=Marissa|date=2019-10-08|website=WFMY|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-10-15}}
On March 13, 2020, Vaughan declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|date=2020-03-13|title=Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan declares State of Emergency in response to coronavirus|url=https://myfox8.com/news/greensboro-mayor-nancy-vaughan-declares-state-of-emergency-in-response-to-coronavirus/|access-date=2020-08-14|website=myfox8.com|language=en-US}} On March 27, she issued a stay-at-home order for the city of Greensboro, which expired April 16, after which Greensboro fell under the jurisdiction of the state's stay-at-home order.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=City of Greensboro Stay-At-Home Order Frequently Asked Questions|url=https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/home/showdocument?id=45282|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}} On June 23, she issued an emergency order requiring all people to wear face coverings in public within Greensboro city limits in order to curb the spread of the pandemic.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-22|title=City of Greensboro to require face coverings within the city Limits|url=https://myfox8.com/news/city-of-greensboro-to-require-face-coverings-within-the-city-limits/|access-date=2020-08-14|website=myfox8.com|language=en-US}}
In response to protests stemming from the 2020 George Floyd protests,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-06-01|title=Greensboro enacts citywide curfew|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2020/06/01/greensboro-enacts-curfew-beginning-tonight.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-16|website=Triad Business Journal}} the mayor ordered a city-wide curfew. The ACLU of North Carolina called the order unconstitutional and "overbroad", saying it "gives police too much discretion over whom to arrest and will likely lead to selective law enforcement against communities of color.{{Cite web|last=Green|first=Jordan|date=2020-06-05|title=ACLU: Greensboro curfew violates First Amendment and invites racial discrimination|url=https://triad-city-beat.com/aclu-greensboro-curfew-violates-first-amendment/|access-date=2020-08-15|website=The NC Triad's altweekly|language=en-US}}" Local news media drew attention to the contrast in enforcement. The Greensboro Police Department arrested and charged several black men for protesting while carrying firearms, while white men associated with the white supremacist Stokes County Militia group carrying guns and paramilitary gear were not approached by police.{{Cite web|last=Green|first=Jordan|date=2020-06-04|title=Black men arrested with weapons at protest while armed white militia men avoid charges in Greensboro|url=https://triad-city-beat.com/black-men-arrested/|access-date=2020-08-15|website=The NC Triad's altweekly|language=en-US}}
Vaughn has announced that she will not seek re-election at the end of her term which will end on December 5, 2025.{{cite web|last1=Barnes|first1=Blair|title=Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan will not seek re-election|url=https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/greensboro-mayor-nancy-vaughan-not-running-for-mayor-again/83-c3f930d5-667f-4736-975d-fe3802b962fd|website=WFMY|access-date=May 8, 2024|date=May 7, 2024}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaughan, Nancy}}
Category:Greensboro, North Carolina, city council members
Category:North Carolina Democrats
Category:Women mayors of places in North Carolina
Category:Fairfield University alumni
Category:21st-century mayors of places in North Carolina