Democrats and Republicans face off in crowded race for Swain sheriff
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.