Inform Cabarrus

04/16/2026

The 2026 General Election will be held this November. In an effort to give candidates enough time to respond before the campaign cycle fully revs up, we have sent our 2026 County Commissioners Candidate Questionnaire to all six candidates running for the Board of Commissioners in the upcoming General Election.

Candidates have been requested to submit their completed questionnaires via the link we emailed to the address they used to file their candidacy by midnight on Monday, May 4, 2026.

They have been advised that all answers will be published exactly as submitted, unedited — including any grammar and spelling errors — for the public to review. For transparency, any unanswered questions will be marked “no answer submitted," and candidates who do not respond will be noted as "no response received."

These are the ten questions that were asked in the questionnaire:

1. Cabarrus County is growing quickly. As a commissioner, do you favor providing the necessary infrastructure to support that growth?

2. At current tax rates, most residences don't pay enough property tax to support the public services provided for them by the county and cities (schools, law enforcement, utilities, fire protection, etc.). Property taxes would be much higher if we didn't have business property taxes to make up the difference. Considering that businesses require the county to spend much less tax money than residences, what is your position on supporting business recruitment to bring new businesses to our county and to encourage local businesses to expand?

3. The Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County is responsible for operating our wastewater treatment plant on Rocky River. Currently, the plant is near capacity and requires several expansion projects to handle our continuing residential growth. Do you see helping expand sewer treatment capacity as part of your role as commissioner?

4. County commissioners don't run schools directly, but their decisions greatly affect them. How would you support strong public schools?

5. How important do you feel public services, such as parks and libraries, are to the quality of life in Cabarrus County?

6. Please list what, if elected, will be your top three priorities and how they affect the Cabarrus County citizens.

7. In recent years, it has become evident that some commissioners have been influenced by partisan leadership to take actions that benefit party leaders rather than the majority of Cabarrus County citizens. Please explain how you will balance political pressure versus what is best for the citizens.

8. Many residents of our county feel strongly about retaining their rural and agricultural identity. How would you balance the desire to retain open land with the increasing need for housing, schools, roads, and businesses as our population grows?

9. Please list what activities of civic engagement you have participated in that helped develop and inform your interest in serving the citizens of Cabarrus County through elected office. Things such as: What organizations are you a participating member of; what non-profit organizations have you contributed to or volunteered for; and any other activities that you feel have helped prepare you for elected office?

10. If elected, are you willing to work with members of political parties other than your own to serve the needs of the citizens of Cabarrus County?

03/19/2026

The Cabarrus County Republican Party will hold its convention today. If you would like more information, see the link in this post.

Are you registered yet? Visit https://cabarrus.nc.gop/convention

03/19/2026

The Charlotte Observer shared this article earlier today regarding the current political climate here in Cabarrus County.

“Those in the room who are on the Republican committee didn’t vote for me,” one Republican primary winner said. “They threw knives.”

03/05/2026

🗳️ The 2026 Primary Election is over, and the candidates for both Democrats and Republicans are set for the 2026 General Election, to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.

Voter turnout in Cabarrus County's 2026 Primary Election reached 16.52%, with 26,449 voters casting ballots, according to unofficial results. That figure is in line with turnout across other large North Carolina counties.

Out of 160,091 registered voters, participation was similar to 2022 (16%) and higher than 2018 (11%), consistent with typical non-presidential primary years.

Competitive Republican races—including those for the Board of Commissioners, Board of Education, and Clerk of Court—helped boost interest. However, the absence of local Democratic primaries may have limited overall turnout.

Across North Carolina, about 20% of registered voters cast ballots in the 2026 primaries, with Cabarrus County ranking close to the statewide average.

It's important to note that while Cabarrus County is on par with other similarly sized counties, we must do better than 16.52%. Whether you agree or disagree with how things are going with our local government, it's incredibly important to take the opportunity to let your voice be heard.

03/04/2026

🗳️ Brenda McCombs has won the Kannapolis City Schools Board of Education – Area 1 race, defeating Kristina Cook in Tuesday's March 3 Primary Election.

This was a nonpartisan race decided in the primary election and appeared only on ballots for eligible voters residing within the Kannapolis Area 1 school district.

Because the contest was finalized in the primary, it will not appear on the November General Election ballot.

03/04/2026

🗳️ Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has won the Democratic primary for North Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat. The race was called at approximately 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, with Cooper defeating five other Democratic candidates.

The seat is currently held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who chose not to seek reelection. The general election in November will feature a high-profile matchup between Cooper and Republican nominee Michael Whatley, the former chair of the Republican National Committee and a Trump-backed appointee.

03/04/2026

🗳️ Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley has won the Republican primary for North Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat. The race was called at approximately 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, with Whatley defeating six other Republican candidates in the 2026 primary.

The seat is currently held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who did not seek reelection this year. Whatley will face former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, the Democratic nominee, in the November General Election.

03/04/2026

🗳️ Cyril Jefferson has won the Democratic primary for the N.C. 6th Congressional District.

Jefferson defeated multiple opponents to advance to the November General Election, where he will face Republican incumbent Addison McDowell, who has represented the district since January 2025.

📍 About the District:
North Carolina's 6th Congressional District includes Davidson, Davie, and Rowan counties, as well as portions of Cabarrus, Guilford, and Forsyth counties.

03/04/2026

🗳️ Kevin Crutchfield defeated incumbent appointee Sen. Chris Measmer in Tuesday's Republican primary for North Carolina Senate District 34, securing nearly 54% of the vote according to unofficial results.

Crutchfield, a longtime Cabarrus County business owner and former N.C. House representative (District 83), received 7,472 votes to Measmer's 6,451.

He will face Democratic candidate April Cook in the November General Election for the opportunity to represent Cabarrus County in the N.C. General Assembly.

03/04/2026

🗳️ The Republican field is set for the November General Election following Tuesday's Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners primary.

According to unofficial results:
- James Bailey led the eight-candidate field with 7,143 votes (18%).
- Kristel Swayze finished second with 6,325 votes.
- Incumbent appointee, Ian Patrick, placed third with 6,104 votes.

The three will advance to November's general election, where they will face Democratic candidates Phil Henry, Ingrid Nurse, and Dan Redding for the three open commission seats.