Charlotte Ledger Election Hub
Cabarrus County General Election
Voters in Cabarrus County will elect a member of Congress, state legislators, local judges, county commissioners, school board members, a register of deeds and a soil and water conservation district supervisor. For information on early voting times and locations in Cabarrus County, visit the county Board of Elections website. To learn where to vote on Election Day (November 5, 2024), use the N.C. Voter Lookup website.
U.S. House of
Representatives
There are two Congressional districts in Cabarrus County: District 6, in the western portion, and District 8, in the eastern portion. Neither has an incumbent running.
Click the arrow next to each race to learn more about each district and its candidates.
-
U.S. House of Representatives District 6 is the northwestern corner of Cabarrus County, part of Guilford and Forsyth Counties, and all of Davie, Davidson and Rowan Counties. District 6 is 29% Democrat, 37% Republican and 34% unaffiliated. Democrat Kathy Manning holds the seat currently but decided not to run again due to what she calls “egregiously gerrymandered maps.” Republican Addison McDowell is running against Constitution Party candidate Kevin Hayes.
U.S. House District 6 Candidates
-
Addison McDowell
REPUBLICAN
McDowell is a former lobbyist for Blue Cross Blue Shield NC and has been endorsed by Donald Trump in this election, which was a key factor in his primary win over 5 other candidates. On his website, he cites the following issues: securing the border, protecting our jobs, defending the 2nd Amendment. After graduating from UNC Charlotte, he went to work for Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Budd (who is now a senator) as a constituent liaison. (Age ~30s)
-
Kevin Hayes
CONSTITUTION CANDIDATE
Hayes appears to work in the IT industry and describes himself as a small business owner. He wants to “end the Federal Reserve, hold those accountable for the Covid issues, bring education home where it belongs, secure the border, and get spending under control.” He is a resident of Faison. (Age ~30s)
-
House District 8 spans most of Cabarrus County, as well as the southeastern section of Mecklenburg County. It also includes all or part of eight other counties in south-central N.C. This seat has been held by Republican Dan Bishop, who is now running for N.C. attorney general. Bishop won by a margin of 39 percentage points in the 2022 election. The 2024 race features Republican pastor and previous Congressional candidate Mark Harris versus a Democrat newcomer, Justin Dues, a businessman and former Marine.
U.S. House District 8 Candidates
-
Justin E. Dues
DEMOCRAT
Dues is a former Marine and the founder of a medical device startup. In another online interview, he said the key messages of his campaign are that he is anti-gerrymandering, pro-term limits and pro-climate management. He said specifically, "We are 1 human race, sharing 1 planet and 1 set of non-renewable resources – we need to evolve past the tribal us vs. them thinking and work together." He also wants to revamp “a broken public education system that is not teaching enough life skills to our youth, incorporating an optional 2-year public service option that unlocks secondary education benefits (akin to the GI Bill).” He has a bachelor’s from the University of Maryland and an MBA from UNC Charlotte’s business school. (Age 39)
-
Mark Harris
REPUBLICAN
Harris is a pastor and vocal social conservative who ran for Congress in 2018 but had his election victory overturned following revelations that one of his campaign operatives engaged in illegal ballot harvesting. At the time, Harris conceded that “a new election is warranted.” Now, though, he claims he was treated unfairly, saying in his announcement video: “[In] 2020, Democrats stole the election from Donald Trump. The year before, they did it to me.” Harris has attempted unsuccessful runs for office in the past (U.S. Senate in 2014 and the House in 2016). National media have reported that in some of his old sermons, he questioned whether it was the “healthiest pursuit” for women to prioritize careers and advocated that women “submit” to their husbands — comments that Harris later said were taken out of context. He is the former President of the North Carolina Baptist Convention. He says he has stood up against the “extreme tactics of the radical left.” He has a B.A. from Appalachian State and a master’s from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. (Age ~57)
N.C. Senate
Most of Cabarrus County is in N.C. Senate District 34, except for the southern tip, which is in District 35. Republican incumbents are on the ballot in each race.
Key legislative issues in the most recent session of the General Assembly were sheriff cooperation with ICE, funding for higher education, funding private school vouchers, election laws including disclosure around the use of artificial intelligence, reproductive rights and medical marijuana.
Click the arrow next to each race to learn more about each district and its candidates.
-
N.C. Senate District 34 includes most of Cabarrus County, except for 11,000 residents who live along the southwestern Cabarrus border with Mecklenburg County (that section is in District 35). District 34 is 29% Democrat, 34% Republican and 37% unaffiliated. Incumbent Republican Paul Newton is seeking his fifth term.
N.C. Senate District 34 Candidates
-
Thomas B. Hill
LIBERTARIAN
Hill appears to have graduated from Central Cabarrus High School in 1984 and has been involved in a number of political campaigns. He previously ran unsuccessfully for the county Soil and Water Conservation board in the 2022 election. (Age ~58)
-
Paul Newton
REPUBLICAN
Newton is the incumbent state senator who has served four terms. He was a former Duke Energy executive. In the most recent legislative session, he sponsored a bill that broadened the definition of “clean energy” to include nuclear energy. On his website, he says he supports lower taxes, school choice and smaller government. (Age ~64)
-
Kim Sexton-Lewter
Sexton-Lewter is a director at a non-profit that supports families affected by incarceration, and she was a public health educator at UNC Greensboro prior to that. She wants to increase funding for education, affordable housing, mental health services and transportation improvements. She also wants to promote sustainable and renewable energy sources. In an email to The Ledger, she said, “I will work to protect women's access to abortion and reproductive care; and secure public dollars for public education.” She holds a bachelor's from the State University of New York, Oneonta and a Ph.D. from N.C. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She is the mother of three and lives in Kannapolis. (Age 53)
-
N.C. Senate District 35 includes the 5% percent of Cabarrus County’s population (almost 11,000 residents) who live along the Cabarrus County border that is adjacent to Mecklenburg County. However, District 35 only includes the southern border of Cabarrus County and a significant part of Union County. It is 22% Democrat, 41% Republican and 37% unaffiliated. Incumbent Republican Todd Johnson is seeking his fourth term. Johnson lives in Monroe, NC (Union County).
N.C. Senate District 35 Candidates
-
Robin Mann
DEMOCRAT
Mann is a real estate agent and educator for the N.C. Real Estate Commission. There is little other information online about why she is running or her political background. In response to The Charlotte Ledger's survey, she said she is running because, "It is time to step up and make a difference for our community to help create a place where all are equal." She graduated from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian College in Laurinburg. (Age 52)
-
Todd Johnson
REPUBLICAN
Johnson has been the incumbent since 2018 and the owner of an insurance company in Monroe. He says he holds conservative values, wants to cut taxes, improve infrastructure and reduce wasteful spending. He has a B.A. from UNC Chapel Hill. (Age ~46)
N.C. House of
Representatives
There are three N.C. House districts in Cabarrus County. District 73, in central-northeastern Cabarrus, features a Democratic incumbent running for re-election, and the other two districts have no incumbents running.
Click the arrow next to each race to learn more about each district and its candidates.
-
N.C. House District 73 is central and northeastern Cabarrus County. There are nearly 60,000 registered voters in District 73. Of that total, 30% are registered Democrats, 33% are registered Republicans and 36% are unaffiliated voters. Incumbent Democrat Diamond Staton-Williams is seeking her second term. In 2020, approximately 44,000 voters cast ballots for the presidential election. At that time, 53% voted for Trump and 45% voted for Biden.
N.C. House District 73 Candidates
-
Diamond Staton-Williams
DEMOCRAT
Stanton-Williams is the incumbent and has served for one term. She is a nurse by training and is currently a “director of outpatient and community care management.” The key issues on her website are providing basics for education, supporting good paying jobs, providing accessible healthcare, and supporting infrastructure improvements. In her term as representative, she sponsored a bill to raise teacher salaries and a reproductive rights bill that sought to prevent tracking of individuals buying emergency contraception and enabling N.C. women to seek out-of-state abortions. (Age ~46)
-
Jonathan Almond
REPUBLICAN
Almond is a controller at a restaurant management group. On his website, he cites the following issues of importance to him: government overreach (no mandated vaccines); pro-2nd Amendment; lower taxes; pro-military and law enforcement; pro-life; pro-voter IDs; pro-build-a-wall; support for special education; term limits; anti-critical race theory; anti-gender mutilation hormone therapy for minors. He is endorsed by controversial former N.C. house member Larry Pittman, who is now running for Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners. He has a bachelor’s from UNC Charlotte. (Age ~30s)
-
N.C. House District 82 includes the southeastern and southwestern borders of Cabarrus County. District 82 represents approximately 63,000 registered voters of whom 27% are Democrat, 34% are Republican and 38% are unaffiliated. The seat was last held by Republican physician Kristin Baker, who said she would not seek re-election. Two newcomers are seeking the seat. In the 2020 presidential election, approximately 49,000 voters cast ballots and 55% voted for the Republican candidate (Trump) and 44% voted for the Democratic candidate (Biden).
N.C. House District 82 Candidates
-
Brian Echevarria
REPUBLICAN
Echavarria is a financial advisor. On his website, Echevarria highlights the following issues: make schools safe and increase teacher's pay; relief from inflation; zero personal income tax; increased law enforcement spending; transparency in healthcare costs. He previously ran unsuccessfully for the N.C. House for District 73. He won the Republican primary but lost in the general election in 2022 to Diamond Stanton-Williams. He unseated N.C. House member for District 83 Kevin Crutchfield in the March primary. He attended Florida State. (Age ~40s)
-
Sabrina Berry
DEMOCRAT
Berry is a small business owner who appears to be a real estate broker. She says on her site that her main issues of concern are the economy (raise the statewide minimum wage, invest in job training and workforce), housing (increase affordable housing) and Medicaid expansion. She is also an advocate of declaring that mental health is a priority public health issue. She is the mother of three and says she has lived in Cabarrus County for a decade. (Age ~42)
-
N.C. House District 83 includes the northwestern corner of Cabarrus County and southwestern corner of Rowan County. District 83 is 24% Democrat, 41% Republican and 34% unaffiliated. The seat is held by Kevin Crutchfield who ran for District 82 and lost in the primary.
N.C. House District 83 Candidates
-
Grant Campbell
REPUBLICAN
Campbell is a physician and military veteran. On his website, Campbell cites the following as issues of importance: education (parental empowerment, workforce-ready grants, school choice, more teacher compensation); economic development; crime and public safety (support law enforcement, tax relief for first responders); veterans (tax relief); healthcare (opioid treatment for first time offenders); pro-2nd Amendment. He has a bachelor’s and MD from UNC Chapel Hill. (Age ~50s)
-
Joanne Chesley
DEMOCRAT
Chesley has been a faculty member at Elon University and has served in a number of administrative roles in higher education. She says that she "believes strongly that our state legislators alongside local governments must work harder to make housing, childcare and medical care more affordable and accessible for those who are financially burdened." She says she also wants to protect school budgets, make schools safe and have honest history lessons. She holds a bachelor's from Virginia State University and a doctorate in education from UNC Chapel Hill. (Age ~67)
N.C. Judicial Offices
N.C. Judicial District 25 covers all of Cabarrus County. District courts rule on family law, juvenile law, certain civil cases and misdemeanors.
The judges running for two available seats are unopposed.
Attorneys we interviewed say that while judicial elections now list a candidate’s party, party affiliation is less crucial at the district court level (versus the state appeals or supreme courts).
This post is a good overview of the job of district court judges in N.C.
N.C. District Court Judge District 25 Candidates
-
Nate Knust
REPUBLICAN
Knust is running for District 25 Seat 5.
Knust was first appointed to this judicial position in 2019. He was an assistant DA in Cabarrus County and an assistant state attorney in southern Florida prior to that. He has a bachelor’s from Missouri Southern State University, a JD from Oklahoma City University and an MBA from the University of Puerto Rico. (Age ~47)
-
Michael G. Knox
REPUBLICAN
Knox is running for District 25 Seat 6.
Knox has been a judge for 14 years and was in private practice for more than 20 years. He has degrees in business and economics from N.C. State University and a JD from Wake Forest. He lives in Concord. (Age ~62)
County Races
Cabarrus voters will choose two county commissioners, a register of deeds and a soil and water conservation district supervisor.
Click the arrow next to each race to learn more about each district and its candidates.
-
The Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners does the following: establishes the annual tax rate, adopts an annual budget, sets policies, procedures and goals, adopts ordinances, rules and regulations, enters into contracts on behalf of the County, determines the strategic vision and direction of the County, carries out various duties as authorized by N.C. General Statutes.
Commissioners are elected at-large to four-year terms. There are four candidates for two seats.
No incumbent commissioners are running for this role though two, Laura Blackwell Lindsey and Larry Pittman, have served in elected office. Three of the four candidates running are women. No women currently serve on the board.
Board of Commissioners Candidates
-
Ingrid Nurse
DEMOCRAT
Nurse is a longtime volunteer in the community who has served as an election poll worker and worked with the Democratic party. On her website, she says her platform is economic justice (a higher minimum wage), healthcare (affordable healthcare plans that are accessible for everyone), housing (more affordable housing) and safer schools as well as reliable transportation systems. (Age ~55)
-
Larry G. Pittman
REPUBLICAN
Pittman served in the N.C. House from 2011 to 2022, when he was regularly quoted in the news media for controversial statements and bills he sponsored. He supported “public hangings” for abortion providers, co-sponsored a bill allowing North Carolina to secede from the Union and compared Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler. In a Facebook post in September 2024, reflecting on his time in the legislature, he wrote: “I dare say I was the most conservative and most pro-life and strongest advocate for gun rights of all the members of that body,” and he said he and candidate Laura Blackwell Lindsey plan to prioritize “actual government responsibilities, such as law enforcement and public safety, and not spend the taxpayers' money on things that should be funded solely by private entities and voluntary contributions.” He has a B.A. from UNC Charlotte.
-
Eulonda Rushing
DEMOCRAT
Rushing does not appear to have a campaign website, and we could find little information about her. She appeared on a podcast in June on the topic of reforming child protective services and said her own children were taken away from her unjustly in August 2023. She said she is not running as part of a vendetta but that she is running "because of the things that I have learned," such as what the Department of Social Services can and can't do. In that appearance, she was described as a "dedicated wife and proud mother of five children," an Army veteran and a graduate of Oklahoma University.
-
Laura Blackwell Lindsey
REPUBLICAN
Lindsey is currently on the Cabarrus County Board of Education and an employee at Carolinas Healthcare System. Following protests from the community, she was censured in 2020 by the Cabarrus school board for using profanity and the word “retarded” in a meeting. On her Facebook page, she says “Yep, I’m MAGA, yep I want to save the tax payers money and yep I want to find the fluff and cut it out.” In the primary, she was one of two candidates finishing ahead of longtime incumbent and board chair Steve Morris. She attended Georgia State. (Age ~40s).
-
The Register of Deeds position is "responsible for providing the proper and safe repository of deeds and other documents affecting property or personal status (including birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses)."
Republican incumbent Wayne Nixon is running unopposed.
Register of Deeds Candidate
-
Wayne Nixon
REPUBLICAN
Nixon has been the Register of Deeds for the county since 2013. He was an assistant district attorney from 1978 to 1981. His LinkedIn page and the county’s site says he has bachelor’s from both UNC Chapel Hill and N.C. State. He also has a JD from Wake Forest. (Age ~66)
-
According to its website, “The Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District (CSWCD) encourages conservation.” Specifically, it provides “assistance applying for several agricultural cost-share programs that allocate state funds, conservation easement guidance, equipment rental and soil testing, technical assistance with water drainage issues and pond management workshops and weed identification services.”
Incumbent Thomas E. Porter Jr. is running unopposed.
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Candidate
-
Thomas E. Porter Jr.
Porter and his wife are currently two of the five members of the Soil and Water Conservation District Board. Porter is a farmer and has an 850-acre property in Concord where he manages swine, cattle and poultry. He has been on the board since 2016 and has served on a number of trade organization boards like the Poultry Federation. He was the former N.C. winner of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award. He has three grown children and also appears to operate a farm store that is open to the public. He is a registered Republican. (Age ~70)
Board of Education
The Cabarrus County Board of Education has seven members. They serve four-year terms and are elected at-large. The board oversees Cabarrus County Schools, which has 44 schools and 35,000 students.
There are eight candidates (including two incumbents) running for four seats.
Click the arrow next to each race to learn more about each district and its candidates.
-
The Cabarrus County Board of Education has seven members. Two incumbents, Keshia Sandidge and Rob Walter, are running. Another current member, Laura Blackwell Lindsey, is running for county commission.
Board of Education Candidates
-
Melanie Freeman
REPUBLICAN
Freeman is a Moms for Liberty advocate who previously ran for the board of education. She was a music teacher and former cellist with the Charlotte Symphony. In a questionnaire for the Cabarrus Weekly, she said that her top priorities are to “see the classroom unburdened, see a return to basic learning skills” and supporting new schools. (Age ~70s)
-
Namu Kachroo
DEMOCRAT
Kachroo is an educator who has taught high school in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and higher education at Central Piedmont Community College and UNC Charlotte. The top two priorities on her website are to manage growth strategically in a rapidly growing community and increase parental and community involvement. She says she is running to make Cabarrus County school system “the best it can be.” Kachroo has a master's degree in chemistry from UNC Charlotte.
-
Greg Mills
REPUBLICAN
Mills is a marketing director and says on his website that the issues of importance to him are: to recognize and defend the rights of parents; to respect and support the work of teachers; to promote academic excellence; to equip students for rewarding careers. He has completed coursework at UNC Charlotte. (Age 51)
-
Keshia Sandidge
DEMOCRAT
Sandidge is a licensed social worker and was elected to the board in 2020. She says that she wants to create a sustainable business environment ("Public policy can make or break small businesses, so it’s important that our policies are developed in conjunction with our local entrepreneurs") and public safety through dialogue, not division ("I will develop a statewide program that incorporates law enforcement education in kindergarten through 2nd grade to provide kids with more exposure to officers at a central stage of development.") She has a bachelor’s from Barber-Scotia College and a master’s from the University of South Carolina. She ran for N.C. Senate District 45 in 2022, and her site still directs to that campaign as of July 2024. (Age ~45)
-
Robert (Rob) Walter
REPUBLICAN
Walter is an incumbent member of the board and a “Christian, husband, dad.” He is an aviation security and project manager at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport. On his website, he says, “I'm a strong believer in arts education, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs (i.e. High School academies, STEM, ROTC, FFA), and extracurricular and leadership development activities for students and athletes. I've participated in IEP meetings and try to ensure we support our EC students and families. I am also an advocate and supporter of our skilled teachers in the classroom and non-certified staff that support them.” (Age 53)
-
Mishell Williams
DEMOCRAT
Williams calls herself a "lifelong educator" and a PTO member. The key issues she cites on her website are teacher and staff retention, growth of teachers and students, and physical and emotional safety. She is an advocate of supporting the “whole child.” She is the mother of three. (Age ~41)
-
Catherine Bonds-Moore
REPUBLICAN
Bonds-Moore is a retired educator and was a previous board candidate. She currently runs a business to help parents of children with learning disabilities. In a questionnaire from the Cabarrus Weekly, she said her top priorities are student safety, recruiting qualified teachers and protecting parental rights. She is a graduate of Appalachian State and has a master’s from UNC Charlotte. (Age ~64)
-
Rob Cerulo
DEMOCRAT
Cerulo is a manager of executive recruiting at a local recruiting firm. In a questionnaire response to Cabarrus Weekly, he said that his top priorities are to advocate for children with special needs, prevent religious based decision making on educational matters and bring more fathers into the management of their kids’ education. He is a graduate of Butler University and is a father of four. (Age 40)
The Charlotte Ledger’s election information is presented for free to all, with no ads, through the support of Charlotte Ledger members.
You can support this effort to make unbiased civic information publicly available with a one-time gift.