{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Terry S. Johnson","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTerry Steven Johnson is the incumbent Alamance County Sheriff, seeking a seventh term in the 2026 election [1][2]. He was first elected in 2002, becoming the first Republican elected to the office in living memory in Alamance County [1][2]. The March 3, 2026 Republican primary was his first contested primary since taking office; Alamance News later reported he \"successfully fended off two rivals\" in that primary [4]. In his previous reelection, the 2022 general election, Johnson won with 58.8 percent of the vote against Democratic candidate Kelly White [1].\n\nJohnson has said his priorities include making Alamance County safer and improving diversity within the Sheriff's Department \"of gender, race and educational background\" [3]. He has proposed creating a mental health diversion center to redirect people repeatedly arrested for low-level offenses toward psychiatric evaluation rather than punishment, targeting a one-year timeline to establish it [3].\n\n## Background and education\nJohnson is a native of Snow Camp, North Carolina, born and raised in Alamance County [2]. His law enforcement career began in 1972 [3]. Before being elected sheriff, he spent nearly three decades as an agent with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation [2].\n\n## Career\nAs sheriff, Johnson's department has developed working relationships with the DEA, Homeland Security, and ICE, and began using drone technology for search-and-rescue operations in 2018 [1]. He has cited resolving cold cases ranging from grand theft auto to first-degree murder, expanding narcotics enforcement using his SBI drug-interdiction background, and implementing body cameras for patrol officers and jailers through a state grant [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Alamance County sheriff to seek 7th term \u2013 Elon News Network](https://www.elonnewsnetwork.com/article/2025/09/alamance-county-sheriff-to-seek-7th-term-faces-first-potential-opposition-in-gop-since-2002)\n[2] [Sheriff Terry Johnson to seek seventh term \u2013 Alamance News](https://alamancenews.com/sheriff-terry-johnson-to-seek-seventh-term/)\n[3] [Campaigning for Alamance County Sheriff: Terry Johnson \u2013 Elon News Network](https://www.elonnewsnetwork.com/article/2022/10/campaigning-for-alamance-county-sheriff-terry-johnson)\n[4] [Did sheriff strike fans of campaign rivals from his agency's list of certified officers? \u2013 Alamance News](https://alamancenews.com/did-sheriff-strike-fans-of-campaign-rivals-from-his-agencys-list-of-certified-officers/)","firstname":"Terry","lastname":"Johnson","middlename":"Steven","suffix":null,"token":"2b400bf8e78796ab"},"token":"TDlXooKHtPgywrui"},{"candidatename":"Shannon Long","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"UNA","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nShannon Lemar Long is an Independent candidate running for Alamance County Sheriff in the 2026 election [1]. She officially announced her candidacy by signing a declaration to run, describing the effort as a \"movement for change, progress, and equality\" aimed at bringing a fresh vision to the office [1]. Long states that if elected, she would make history as the first Independent candidate to hold the position in Alamance County [1].\n\nAs part of her campaign activities, Long participated in early voting at the Kernodle Senior Center, where she was joined by supporters who encouraged voters to cast ballots and sign petitions to secure her place on the November ballot [2].\n\n## Office history\n\nShannon Long has self-describes as an Independent candidate running for Alamance County Sheriff [1]. She officially signed to run for this office, marking a campaign focused on change, progress, and equality [1]. As part of her candidacy efforts, she participated in early voting at the Kernodle Senior Center to support her own bid for the position [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Today marks a monumental moment in Alamance County ...](https://www.facebook.com/61583903263753/posts/today-marks-a-monumental-moment-in-alamance-county-history-as-shannon-long-offic/122121913533130108/)\n[2] [At the polls today with Shannon Long, who's stepping up to ...](https://www.facebook.com/ojedafornc/videos/at-the-polls-today-with-shannon-long-whos-stepping-up-to-serve-as-sheriff-in-ala/2573007593094877/)","firstname":"Shannon","lastname":"Long","middlename":"Lemar","suffix":null,"token":"c13fa90ce6c2053c"},"token":"zBHJfAhcCrjkUmzC"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"sheriff","o.office":"county_sheriff","office":"county_sheriff","officedescription":"The sheriff is the county's chief law-enforcement officer. The office operates the county jail, provides court security, serves civil process and executes warrants, and provides patrol and investigation \u2014 a large operational command with a substantial budget.","officequalities":"- Organizational leadership of a sheriff's office spanning patrol, investigations, court services, and the county jail.\n- Oversight of the county jail, including intake, inmate health, and release procedures.\n- Working knowledge of Tennessee criminal law, court process, and constitutional search-and-seizure standards.\n- Ability to develop and oversee the office's operating budget with public accountability.\n- Coordination with municipal police departments and neighboring-county and state agencies.\n- A documented law-enforcement or public-safety background.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Sheriff","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Alamance County Sheriff"}