The Ballot Brief
Cabarrus County, North Carolina

Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners

7 candidates are tracked for Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners on the November 3, 2026 ballot: James N. Bailey, Kristel Swayze, Ian Patrick, Dan Redding, Ingrid Nurse, Thomas Hill and Phil Henry. Candidate information follows official Cabarrus County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Seven candidates filed for three at-large seats on the November 3, 2026 ballot: James N. Bailey, Kristel Swayze, and Ian Patrick (Republicans, all three advanced from the March 3, 2026 Republican primary in which Bailey led with 7,143 votes, Swayze had 6,325, and incumbent Patrick had 6,104); Dan Redding, Ingrid Nurse, and Phil Henry (Democrats, unopposed in their own primary); and Thomas Hill (Libertarian). Of the three commission seats up in 2026, only Ian Patrick's incumbent seat is being sought again; sitting commissioners Jeff Jones and Kenneth Wortman did not file for new terms. Results are unofficial until certified.

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

This race. The sitting officeholder, Ian Patrick, is on the ballot.

North Carolina › Cabarrus County › Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners

James N. Bailey

Republican

Top priorities
  • Keep the tax rate as low as possible while maintaining quality county services
  • Promote economic development to help reduce the tax burden
  • Work with the school board to use education funding efficiently

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Bailey retired in 2023 after 29 years with the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office, where Bailey served as Chief Deputy overseeing daily operations, budget, and interagency coordination, per the campaign site. Bailey now works as Assistant Director of Campus Health, Safety, and Security at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration and a master's degree in criminal justice, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Kristel Swayze

Republican

Top priorities
  • Long-range capital planning for school facilities and competitive teacher compensation
  • Collaborative workforce retraining and livable-wage job creation
  • Adequate staffing for first responders and a coordinated mental health care hub

Per the Cabarrus Compass.

Biography

Kristel Swayze is a lifelong Cabarrus County resident and small business owner who founded her company in 2002, per Cabarrus Compass. She previously worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield in policy services and studied sociology and history at UNC-Chapel Hill. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Kristel Swayze.

Ian Patrick

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Closed a $13.7 million budget deficit and ended automatic corporate tax breaks
  • Secured funding for Northwest Cabarrus Schools and additional sheriff's deputies
  • Hired a permanent county manager and put school construction decisions to a public vote

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Patrick is a registered architect licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina who founded his own architecture firm in 2015, per the campaign site. He served two terms on the Harrisburg Town Council before his appointment to the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners, where he serves as vice chair, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Dan Redding

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Expanding affordable housing options for teachers, firefighters, and other essential workers
  • Elevating Cabarrus County Schools, Kannapolis City Schools, and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
  • Infrastructure planning focused on sustainable growth

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Dan Redding has worked in software sales for more than 15 years and graduated from Wingate University in 2007 with a degree in communications, per his campaign site. He moved to Cabarrus County in 2009 and lives in Harrisburg with his wife and two children.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Ingrid Nurse

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Promoting responsible development while maintaining neighborhood character
  • Strengthening public safety initiatives and supporting quality education
  • Expanding economic opportunity and transparent local governance

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Ingrid Nurse has served on the Cabarrus County Planning and Zoning Commission since 2017 and holds degrees in accounting, rehabilitation counseling, and business administration, per her campaign site. She previously ran for county commissioner in 2024, finishing third.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Thomas Hill

Libertarian

Biography

Thomas Hill is a Charter Member, Treasurer, and Membership Secretary of the Cabarrus Libertarian Party, per Vote Smart, and has run for Cabarrus County office several times since 2002. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Thomas Hill.

Phil Henry

Democratic

Biography

Phil Henry appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Phil Henry.

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners in 2026?

7 candidates are tracked for Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners on the November 3, 2026 ballot: James N. Bailey, Kristel Swayze, Ian Patrick, Dan Redding, Ingrid Nurse, Thomas Hill and Phil Henry. Candidate information follows official Cabarrus County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners election in North Carolina?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for North Carolina are on the North Carolina election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Cabarrus County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Cabarrus County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official North Carolina election office, or see the full Cabarrus County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Cabarrus County ballot

17 tracked races in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Cabarrus County SheriffCabarrus County Schools Board of EducationCabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District SupervisorSee all 17 Cabarrus County races
Candidate profiles
James N. Bailey, full profileKristel Swayze, full profileIan Patrick, full profileDan Redding, full profileIngrid Nurse, full profileThomas Hill, full profilePhil Henry, full profileOfficial North Carolina election office