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)

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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)

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DEMOCRAT

Clark is a retired special forces “A team” member and civil affairs officer. He is also the chair of the Richmond County Democratic Party and ran for the county’s board of commissioners in 2022. The issues listed on his website are education and funding for schools and colleges, affordability of housing and healthcare, and fighting drug addiction. (Age 69)

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REPUBLICAN

Craven is a vice president of business development at Fidelity. He is an incumbent and the youngest serving member in the N.C. Senate. He describes himself as an advocate for conservative values and says he believes in limited government, fiscal responsibility, free markets, the Second Amendment and the right to life. He also values jobs and economic development and wants to expand the local economy. He says he "will never vote to defund the police." In the current legislative session, he sponsored a bill to prohibit state agencies from considering ESG factors in investments, hiring or other state-related matters. He is a graduate of UNC Charlotte and a native of Randolph County. (Age ~33)

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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. She appears to have graduated from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian College in Laurinburg. (Age ~50s)

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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)

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DEMOCRAT

Little has a sparse digital footprint and no campaign website but it appears that she graduated from South Piedmont Community College recently. She also appears to be a member of the Anson County Board of Education. (Age 63)

REPUBLICAN

Brody is a contractor and has been an N.C. House member representing District 55 for six terms. He was the primary sponsor on 25 bills in the 2023-24 session, including funds to support new teachers in some rural counties and to forgive school lunch debt. He has a mailing address in Union County. (Age 73)

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DEMOCRAT

Robinson is an attorney who moved to Weddington five years ago from Texas. She says she is running because “the majority party has become tyrannical over science with the mask and vaccine mandates, over history and even reading with book bans and restricted curriculum, and even became an overbearing majority focused on taking the medical rights of parents, children, and women.” She is an advocate of gender-affirming care. She was the writer, producer and director of a play called “We the People,” which was presented to 1,700 5th graders. She has a bachelor’s and MBA from West Texas A&M and a JD from Western Michigan University (Age 49)

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REPUBLICAN

Willis is the incumbent in District 68. He is currently serving his second term. He is also the owner and operator of a Kiddie Academy preschool franchise in Charlotte’s Blakeney area. In the recent legislative session, he introduced bills to increase Medicaid reimbursements for obstetricians to reduce maternal mortality, to prevent health care providers to refuse emergency care to patients due to their vaccination status and to require the state to provide a middle school class for students to learn about different careers. He graduated from Appalachian State. He is the father of three and lives in Marvin. (Age ~46)

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REPUBLICAN

Arp is an engineer and incumbent house member for the district for six terms. He was the primary sponsor of 21 bills in 2023-24 session including penalties around death caused by certain controlled substances (such as opioids), funds for a children's library and preventing cities from limiting the choice of energy service providers. He is former member of the Union County Board of Education and a grandfather. (Age 57)

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DEMOCRAT

Coulter ran against Arp in the 2022 election and received 33% of the vote. She says, “the three issues that come up most often when I canvass in my county are: access to affordable health care, the ridiculous cost of college and the lack of school funding.” She also mentions over-development of the western side of [Union] county leaving behind the eastern side. She says, “To address these, we should expand Medicaid, fully fund Leandro and use some of our Inflation Reduction Act money to invest in clean energy initiatives.” (Leandro is a 1997 N.C. Supreme Court ruling that every child has a constitutional right to a sound, basic education in early childhood.) She is a graduate of UNC Charlotte and appears to be in a management role at Charlotte Imports. (Age ~67)

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REPUBLICAN

Helms was a Union County Board of Education member from 2012-2020. She lives in Monroe. Asked why she is running, she told The Charlotte Ledger, “I have lived in Union County for approximately 40 years. My husband is a farmer, and I help as needed. I served on the Union County Board of Education from 2012-2020. I believe in term limits for every level including local. I only ran for that position twice. So I practice what I preach, I am very concerned about the explosion of new homes in Union County and the impact this has on the infrastructure. Currently, UC is 90% residential and 10% business/industry and the tax base is upside down. Business growth must be expanded while residential must be slowed. It costs taxpayers approximately $10,000 to educate each child in our school system per year. Schools are increasing to near capacity rates due to overbuilding. The current tax rate cannot keep up with schools let alone police, fire and medic, not to mention the road and highways. I will be asking our state representatives to grant a waiver to Union County for business/industry instead of residential to help rectify this issue. Farmlands are being depleted at an alarming rate with the over-development as well. I also believe that tax payers need to have a say when Union County issues bonds when it comes to capital projects. When projects increase taxes in a substantial way, the voters should be the ones to decide if that is a debt we should take on or not.” (Age 48)

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REPUBLICAN

Sides is a businessman who owns an insurance firm, and has been a member of the Union County Board of Education since 2014. He was also previously on the Stallings town council. On his website, he lists the following issues: he supports first responders, schools (fight DEI and critical race theory), growth, economic development, preservation "of our rural setting", road safety (intersection improvements). As a school board member, he voted to open schools earlier in August but then the board capitulated to pressure from a lawsuit that said it violated state law. He holds a BA from the University of Illinois. He is a foster parent. (Age 66)

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REPUBLICAN

In March 2024, Baucom was appointed to replace Commissioner Richard Helms, who resigned for health reasons. He will serve the Helms term through December and is the only candidate running to finish the term of his late cousin, longtime commissioner Stony Rushing, following a recommendation from the Union County Republican Party. Baucom is the owner of Arbor Fields, a wholesale nursery in Marshville. He holds a degree from N.C. State. (Age ~59)

REPUBLICAN

Gilliard has been the incumbent since 2004 and was a paralegal prior to that. According to the N.C. State Board of Elections website, she has been unopposed in the last four elections. She is a graduate of King’s College (a for-profit college in Charlotte that is now closed). (Age 53)

Candidate Q&A

Haigler is an incumbent and has served on the board of the Soil and Water Conservation District since 2020. He works on his family farm which produces a number of crops including corn and wheat. He lives in Monroe and is a registered Republican. (Age ~39)

Simpson is a resident of Monroe and appears to be a newcomer to elected office. He is a registered Republican. (Age ~39)

DEMOCRAT

Baxter appears to be a manager at Credit Karma. She is running because she sees opportunities to improve school funding (particularly to attract “the best educators”), to ensure equity regardless of “zip code or background” and to advocate for safety so students can learn “without fear.” She said she is running because after attending some Board of Education meetings, she was surprised by the "charged rhetoric and extremist policies" of the current board. Baxter attended UNC Greensboro and moved to Charlotte in 2014 and then to Waxhaw two years ago, according to her website. She is married with two children. 

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REPUBLICAN

May currently serves on the Union County Board of Education. On the board’s website, she says that she wants “to serve as an advocate for equitable education for all children in UCPS with a focus on college and career readiness so that every student graduates with the tools for a successful and productive future.” She holds a B.A. from Florida State University. (Age ~56)

REPUBLICAN

Price appears to be a Truist employee and currently serves on the Union County Board of Education. On the board’s website, he says, “It is my belief that the greatest benefit is our thriving school system. By serving on the BOE I believe I can further the tradition of strong public schools in our community. As a parent of two graduates from Union County Public School students, I have witnessed first-hand the educational, social and emotional benefits that come with our school system. I want to protect the identity of the public education system amidst various external pressures." (Age ~57)

DEMOCRAT

Burroughs is a former teacher who says he wants to take politics out of education, make sure all schools have resources, ensure competitive teacher and school staff wages, and improve the recruiting and retention of great teachers. He ran unsuccessfully for the school board in 2022, losing 65%-35% to Republican Jimmy Bention Sr. In a Facebook video from December 2023, Burroughs said, “Last time I did this, I was mocked, I was lied about, I was satirized, I was vilified — and I guess I’m a glutton for punishment because I’m going to do it all over again.” His Instagram profile says he is a “very moderate Democrat looking to bring balance to the board.” His Facebook page lists his principles as “health and safety, diversity, academic success.” 

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DEMOCRAT

Kirkpatrick is a reverend and incumbent board member. He is also the executive director of The Village Development Center, a daycare for at-risk children. He says he wants to "enhance the quality of education for all students, no matter their social status or challenges. I am committed to bridging the gap between community and education for a successful and bright future for all." He has a bachelor’s in political science from Morris College. (Age ~41)

REPUBLICAN

Helms has been an incumbent on the board since 2016. He says he wants to "To create a positive learning experience for the students of UCPS that will get them ready for higher education or to join today's workforce upon graduation." He has a B.A. in geography from UNC Charlotte. He is married and the father of two. (Age ~43)

DEMOCRAT

Sanders is a mother of two and says, "My focus would be on supporting educators and raising awareness about the need for increased funding in public education as well as the importance of compensating our teachers. I’m passionate about spreading awareness about the crucial role of public education and advocating for keeping tax dollars within our schools. The impact of the voucher program concerns me." Two items she lists on her platform are teacher empowerment and veteran teacher appreciation. (Age ~40s)

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REPUBLICAN

Morreale is an incumbent and the director of transportation strategy and solutions at Ross Stores Inc. He is also a mentor for I.T. Forward, a program that teaches high school students about career paths in information technology. Morreale’s goal is to “ensure teachers and personnel are happy and have the tools, technology, and learning content in place for our children’s learning environment.” He also hopes to “create a solid, long-term plan for student assignment with a stress on neighborhood schools.” He is a father of two Weddington High School graduates. (Age ~44)