Mark Burrows
Democratic Party

Where are you from? I was born in Iowa but grew up in Florida.

Burrows holds a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wake Forest University. He graduated from the NC Rural Center’s Rural Economic Development Institute and the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute. A member of the American Planner’s Association, Burrows is a certified planner (AICP).

Over his career, Burrows has received multiple recognitions including the Governor James Holshouser Professional Development Award from the NC Economic Developers Association in 2006, the Robert Parrish Intergovernmental Relations Award from Land-of-Sky in 2010, and the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award in 2017.

Burrows lives in Brevard with his wife Betsy Burrows, a professor at Brevard College. They have two grown children. He is an avid trail runner and cyclist.

Burrows lives in Brevard with his wife Betsy Burrows, a professor at Brevard College. They have two grown children. He is an avid trail runner and cyclist.

Mark Burrows was born in Iowa and grew up in Florida. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Wake Forest University and a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University. He lives in Brevard with his wife, Betsy Burrows.

Your Vote: NC House District 119

A dedicated community leader, Burrows has successfully promoted economic and community development in Transylvania County and Western North Carolina (WNC) for over 30 years. His work in local government has focused on economic, planning, and community development initiatives involving both public and private sectors.

Mark Burrows is a certified planner who has worked in local government on economic, planning, and community development initiatives involving the public and private sectors.

2024 General election
Incumbent Mike Clampitt defeated Mark R. Burrows in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 119 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
Mike Clampitt (R) 55.4 26,871
Mark R. Burrows (D) 44.6 21,641

The results have been certified. Total votes: 48,512.

Mark previously ran for the North Carolina House of Representatives District 119 in 2024 but did not win.

Mark Burrows - Ballotpedia

2026 North Carolina General Election

Nearly a fifth of our children live in poverty. Many district residents pay more than 30% of their salaries for rent, and roughly half have trouble paying their rent. Our average weekly wages are much lower than North Carolina’s average weekly wages – and costs are often higher. We need a living wage—not the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour which has not been raised since 2009. Our workers deserve a living wage, and our government should support affordable housing efforts. I’ll lobby for more state resources for infrastructure and high-speed internet in WNC so we can keep the businesses we have – and attract new ones.

Platform | Mark Burrows For NC House 119

Our workers deserve a living wage, and our government should support affordable housing efforts. I’ll lobby for more state resources for infrastructure and high-speed internet in WNC so we can keep the businesses we have – and attract new ones.

Hurricane Helene taught us a valuable lesson: our infrastructure was inadequate. Our water, sewer and power lines were badly damaged. Hospital services were impacted, and phones didn’t work. Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, it’s more important than ever to invest in infrastructure to promote economic growth in our region. We need to protect our unique natural resources and the environment while promoting business opportunities that will help create much needed jobs.

Supports a living wage above the $7.25 federal minimum wage.

Supports government efforts to expand affordable housing.

Plans to lobby for state infrastructure and high-speed internet resources in western North Carolina to retain and attract businesses.

Calls for infrastructure investment to promote regional economic growth following Hurricane Helene.

- Supports a living wage above the $7.25 federal minimum wage.
- Supports government efforts to expand affordable housing.
- Plans to lobby for state infrastructure and high-speed internet resources in western North Carolina to retain and attract businesses.
- Calls for infrastructure investment to promote regional economic growth following Hurricane Helene.

Economy

Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, it’s more important than ever to invest in infrastructure to promote economic growth in our region. We need to protect our unique natural resources and the environment while promoting business opportunities that will help create much needed jobs.

We need to encourage smart economic growth that preserves the unique nature of WNC and plays to our strengths. I will work to get funding to make our infrastructure more resilient, and to repair the extensive damage from Helene. With my years of experience in economic development, I know how to balance recreation, conservation and job creation.

Help counties and local communities protect our basic infrastructure that may be increasingly threatened by adverse weather conditions. reduce the state’s reliance on carbon-based fuels while supporting efforts to diversify our economy and create new jobs while making the state more resilient to economic changes. Support policies that balance conservation, recreation, and local economic development opportunities.

Supports protecting natural resources and the environment while promoting business opportunities that create jobs.

Plans to seek funding for more resilient infrastructure and Hurricane Helene damage repairs.

Supports reducing North Carolina's reliance on carbon-based fuels while diversifying the economy and creating jobs.

Supports policies that balance conservation, recreation, and local economic development.

- Supports protecting natural resources and the environment while promoting business opportunities that create jobs.
- Plans to seek funding for more resilient infrastructure and Hurricane Helene damage repairs.
- Supports reducing North Carolina's reliance on carbon-based fuels while diversifying the economy and creating jobs.
- Supports policies that balance conservation, recreation, and local economic development.

Energy & the Environment

I’ll fight to protect the expansion of Medicare coverage, which helps so many. Privatized health services, which are vital to our rural communities, must deliver the services they promised. And we have to get serious about ensuring affordable healthcare for everyone.

Plans to protect Medicare coverage expansion.

Calls for privatized health services in rural communities to deliver the services they promise.

Calls for affordable healthcare for everyone.

- Plans to protect Medicare coverage expansion.
- Calls for privatized health services in rural communities to deliver the services they promise.
- Calls for affordable healthcare for everyone.

Healthcare

Extreme gerrymandering means most of our state officials can’t be voted out of office, even if we don’t like their policies. Legislators should be chosen by voters, rather than choosing which voters are in their district. We need a fresh eye in Raleigh to make sure the NC government is transparent. I’ll focus on sound policy and governance that benefits working families—not partisan politics that benefit a few.

Opposes gerrymandering and says legislators should be chosen by voters rather than choosing district voters.

Calls for a transparent North Carolina government.

- Opposes gerrymandering and says legislators should be chosen by voters rather than choosing district voters.
- Calls for a transparent North Carolina government.

Voting & Elections

As of January 5, 2026, Mark Burrows’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Safety

We used to have one of the strongest public education systems in the country. Now our school facilities are deteriorating, our teachers are poorly paid, key positions are empty and students are struggling. We have to invest in our public schools – and our children’s future.

North Carolina public schools have long been the glue that has held our communities together and driven the state’s past economic success. Shifting state funds to private schools vouchers just makes it harder for public schools to do their jobs. Resources matter for our public schools, and we must provide enough money to educate and retain top notch educators in all subjects and all grade levels and maintain facilities and school environments.

Private schools have their place, but there is often little accountability. They don’t have to provide meals or transportation, or services to the disabled. All of our kids deserve a good start by adequately funding early childhood education, the most important window in all human development. Every family should have access to Early Childhood education that’s affordable.

All of our kids deserve a good start by adequately funding early childhood education, the most important window in all human development. Every family should have access to Early Childhood education that’s affordable.

Supports increased investment in public schools, including funding to retain educators and maintain facilities.

Supports adequate funding for affordable early childhood education for all families.

Opposes shifting state funds to private-school vouchers.

- Supports increased investment in public schools, including funding to retain educators and maintain facilities.
- Supports adequate funding for affordable early childhood education for all families.
- Opposes shifting state funds to private-school vouchers.

Education

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Facebook

Mark Burrows

- Calls for affordable healthcare for everyone.

Mark is from Brevard, North Carolina. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wake Forest University. He also has a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University. He lives with his wife, Betsy Burrows, and their two grown children in Brevard.

Mark is an economic development planner. He works for Transylvania County government in North Carolina, where he has been for over 30 years. He previously worked on planning and development initiatives in both public and private sectors across Western North Carolina.

Supports investing in infrastructure and broadband to boost manufacturing and entrepreneurship, particularly in outdoor recreation and the arts.

Supports affordable housing efforts locally and regionally.

Supports state-wide efforts to help counties and local communities address climate change.

Promises to make North Carolina government "accessible and transparent."

Supports providing schools with resources to recruit and retain quality, licensed, and trained teachers, administrators, and staff.

Supports limiting public funds for Opportunity Scholarships (vouchers) for students to attend private schools.

Supports hiring more school nurses, counselors, and psychologists to address students' social and emotional needs.

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Your representative and state lawmaker in North Carolina House of Representatives.