The most powerful person in any North Carolina county is the sheriff, an elected position mandated by the state constitution. 

County elections determine who will don the badge and serve the four-year term in office. Such a system ostensibly ensures sheriffs are accountable to voters, but a 2024 Ballotpedia analysis of all United States’ elections excluding the presidency found that 7 8% of law enforcement races had only one candidate. 

To the Editor:

In response to guest columnist Walter Cook’s recent article, “Don’t expect better results with the same choices,” (Dec. 31 edition of SMN) Mr. Cook accurately describes a political reality in Western North Carolina: for far too long, many voters have cast ballots strictly along party lines — then wondered why so little changes, or why things get worse. 

Amid growing financial concerns, Jackson County’s four Republican commissioners have spent the last few years fighting a culture war. On March 3, Primary Election voters will weigh in on their priorities. 

Over the past four budget cycles, Jackson County commissioners have overseen a steady expansion of county government, with the general fund growing from $71.7 million in fiscal year 2021-22 to $106.9 million in 2025-26, an increase of roughly 49% over five years.

 The head seat of the Swain County Board of Commissioners was a topic of discussion long before this year’s Primaries. 

After Republican Chairman Kevin Seagle announced his resignation, effective Aug. 31, 2025, the role went to Commissioner Tanner Lawson during an appointment process that included individual applications, Republican Party nominations and the late October 2025 selection of Jay Kirkland. 

On March 3, six candidates — three Democrats and three Republicans — will compete for Swain County commissioner. The winner of each primary race will move to the General Election Nov. 3, where they’ll face the opposing party in a bid for the seat held by current commissioner Philip Carson. 

On March 3, incumbent Lisa Loftis and Republican challengers Jason Lambert and Josh Oliver will compete in the Republican primaries for the Swain County Board of Education. The candidates who receive the most votes will advance to the General Election, where they’ll face Democrats Brandy Monteith and Dannie Shuler in a bid for two seats currently held by Loftis and Republican Robert Taylor, who is not seeking reelection. 

To the Editor:

It is not about policy. It is not about politics. It is not about being a Democrat, Republican or independent. It is not about being progressive, conservative or moderate. It is about faith.

To the Editor:

Recently, Democratic strategist James Carville urged Democrats to add two states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., to give us 52 states when Democrats “get back in power.” He also suggested that the Democrats “pack the Supreme Court” after the 2028 election.

Both major parties in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District have for years been plagued by political instability. 

Chairs come and go, strategies collapse as quickly as they form while rank-and-file party faithful are left scrambling.

Congressional redistricting  — the process of drawing electoral districts to account for population changes — was conceived by the Founding Fathers as a once-per-decade redrawing of district lines following the decennial U.S. census.