4 candidates are tracked for Union County Board of Commissioners on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Christina Dupont, Melissa M. Merrell, Brian W. Helms and Sam Harris. Candidate information follows official Union County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Three of Union's board seats are up (voters pick up to 3; a fourth, unexpired, seat is a separate contest below). Republicans Melissa M. Merrell, Brian W. Helms and Sam Harris won a six-candidate March 3, 2026 Republican primary (official Union County certified November list confirms these three as nominees; unofficial county-summed NCSBE precinct results: Helms 10,809 votes/12.8% of all ballots cast, Harris 9,662/11.4%, Merrell 8,529/10.1%, ahead of Patrick Tyson, Wyatt Dunn and Elizabeth Lee). Democrat Christina Dupont filed with no primary opponent. Sitting commissioner Clancy Baucom, whose seat is also up in 2026, did not seek re-election to the board and instead ran for and won the Republican nomination for NC House District 55.
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. Voters choose 3; the top 3 finishers win seats.
North Carolina › Union County › Union County Board of Commissioners
Democratic
Christina Dupont appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Union 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 Christina Dupont.
Republican
Merrell is the sitting chair of the Union County Board of Commissioners, seeking re-election, and previously served in a leadership role on the county's board of education, per The Charlotte Weekly. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Melissa M. Merrell.
Republican
Helms is the sitting vice chairman of the Union County Board of Commissioners, seeking re-election, with a project-management background, per The Charlotte Weekly. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Brian W. Helms.
Republican
Per the campaign site.
Sam Harris is a Plant Pest Specialist with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Plant Protection Section, a position held for eight years, per the campaign site. Harris was elected to the Union County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors in 2022, serves as Treasurer and operates a small produce farm, per the campaign site. Harris holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticultural Science from North Carolina State University, per the campaign site.
Who is running for Union County Board of Commissioners in 2026?
4 candidates are tracked for Union County Board of Commissioners on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Christina Dupont, Melissa M. Merrell, Brian W. Helms and Sam Harris. Candidate information follows official Union County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the Union 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 Union 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.
Candidate roster from official Union County and state election office filings, last verified October 2, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official North Carolina election office, or see the full Union County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
17 tracked races in Union County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.