{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Mike Eldreth","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJerry Michael Eldreth, known as Mike Eldreth, is an incumbent Republican member of the Ashe County Board of Commissioners. His current term expires in December 2026 and he is running for re-election. He resides in Lansing, North Carolina.\n\nEldreth has identified affordable housing, childcare access, and establishing a county homeless shelter as priorities. He describes his fiscal philosophy as conservative and says he views county spending as if it is \"coming out of my pocket.\"\n\n## Background and education\nEldreth is a lifelong Ashe County resident. He attended Northwest Ashe High School and graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation.\n\n## Career\nEldreth has served as an Ashe County Commissioner for four years prior to his 2026 re-election campaign.\n\n## Family\nEldreth is married to Dianne Blevins. They have three children and three grandchildren.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Ashe County voting guide for county commissioner \u2013 Ashe Post & Times](https://www.ashepostandtimes.com/news/ashe-county-voting-guide-for-county-commissioner/article_c9dd7b4c-bd5a-4d8b-b450-5e3547ff4088.html)\n- [2] [Meet your Commissioners \u2013 Ashe County](https://www.ashecountygov.com/commissioners/meet-your-commissioners)\n","firstname":"Jerry","lastname":"Eldreth","middlename":"Michael","suffix":null,"token":"474cce0346304fe9"},"token":"7dwMHcWz_kekDxrp"},{"candidatename":"Caroline Renfro","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Caroline Marie Renfro is the Democratic candidate for Ashe County Commissioner in the November 3, 2026 general election [10]. A native of Charlotte, she has lived in Ashe County for roughly five years but has known the area for more than two decades because her parents, Diana and Traylor Renfro, reside there [7].\n\nRenfro became deeply involved in local affairs after Hurricane Helene struck the region in 2024. She served on the Board of Directors for the Ashe Chamber of Commerce and was Past Chair/CEO of Lost Province Arts, leading the organization\u2019s relief response on the Lost Province campus. Those efforts earned a Dogwood Award from the North Carolina Attorney General\u2019s office and an Ashe County Volunteer Initiative Business of the Year Award from the County Board of Commissioners [7].\n\nIn addition to her disaster\u2011relief work, Renfro has a 20\u2011year career in film, television, and radio. After moving to Ashe, she entered the music industry as business manager for the internationally\u2011known bluegrass group the Kruger Brothers and opened a recording studio, Buddy Holler, in Lansing in the summer of 2025 [7]. She also produced a documentary in September 2024 about Ann Rose\u2019s solo kayaking journey from Little Horse Creek to the Gulf of Mexico, a project that placed her in New\u202fOrleans as Hurricane Helene approached the coast [7].\n\nRenfro\u2019s community leadership extends to nonprofit fundraising. She organized a GoFundMe campaign to keep the Lost Province Center for Cultural Arts (LPCCA) operating after the floods, coordinating donation drives, a generator\u2011lending library, and temporary shelter services for residents affected by the storm [11].\n\nRunning for County Commissioner, Renfro says she wants to create opportunities, eliminate barriers to access, and lead with empathy, emphasizing that leaders must listen to residents to understand their needs [7]. Her blend of creative problem\u2011solving, arts\u2011industry experience, and hands\u2011on disaster\u2011relief work forms the basis of her platform for Ashe County.\n\n## Sources\n- [7] [Caroline Renfro, candidate for Ashe County Commissioner, addresses Democratic Women of Ashe | News | ashepostandtimes.com](https://www.ashepostandtimes.com/news/caroline-renfro-candidate-for-ashe-county-commissioner-addresses-democratic-women-of-ashe/article_7ad06c48-8c9d-4310-b580-d89e995ebb58.html)\n- [10] [Local Candidates - Ashe County](https://www.ashecountygov.com/departments/board-of-elections/candidates)\n- [11] [Fundraiser by Caroline Renfro : Keep LPCCA Running for Lansing's Recovery](https://www.gofundme.com/f/keep-lpcca-running-for-lansings-recovery)","firstname":"Caroline","lastname":"Renfro","middlename":"Marie","suffix":null,"token":"5eb3e0dc4b8fb0d1"},"token":"40dKFXodJ1MLBv0w"},{"candidatename":"Leslie Colvard","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Leslie Bryan Colvard is a registered voter in Ashe County, North Carolina, registered since 2019 (7 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Leslie Bryan Colvard's year of birth as 1954; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 6 elections voted in since 2020, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records. No additional published biographical information was located. Voters with personal knowledge of Leslie Bryan Colvard can reach ballotproject.org with corrections or additions.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 Voter Search](https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[2] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (`ncvhis_Statewide`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/)","firstname":"Leslie","lastname":"Colvard","middlename":"Bryan","suffix":null,"token":"9fd5a0171c7a50cf"},"token":"-PgFPAkRpGvf7h5v"},{"candidatename":"Todd A. McNeill","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Todd McNeill is the incumbent Chairman of the Ashe County Board of Commissioners and is running for re\u2011election as a Republican candidate in the 2026 Ashe County Board of Commissioners race. As chairman, he presides over the five\u2011member board that sets policy, oversees county services, and manages the county budget, meeting twice each month on the first and third Monday at 9:00\u202fa.m. in the county courthouse [4][8].\n\nMcNeill earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Appalachian State University, a credential noted in both his professional profile and a regional government announcement [6][7]. He has been an Ashe County Commissioner since 2018, serving on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (first vice chair since 2020) and on the High Country Council of Governments board, where he helped guide regional collaboration [7].\n\nBeyond his county duties, McNeill was appointed by Governor Josh Stein to the Governor\u2019s Advisory Committee on Western North Carolina Recovery following Hurricane Helene, giving Ashe County a voice in statewide disaster\u2011recovery planning [5]. He also joined Governor Stein and other state leaders on a Washington, D.C., delegation to advocate for federal funding for Helene recovery, meeting with members of Congress and senior administration officials [11]. In October 2025, he will assume the role of Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments, becoming the organization\u2019s first full\u2011time executive and bringing his experience in local government operations and strategic planning to a statewide platform [7].\n\nMcNeill\u2019s public service record emphasizes regional cooperation, disaster recovery, and fiscal stewardship. As chairman, he has overseen regular board meetings, public hearings, and community outreach, ensuring that residents can participate in local decision\u2011making. His leadership on the Governor\u2019s advisory committee and his upcoming executive director position reflect a focus on strengthening inter\u2011governmental collaboration and securing resources for rural communities in western North Carolina. Voters can learn more about his initiatives and contact him through the Ashe County Commissioners page or his official Facebook page [2][4].\n\n## Sources\n- [2] [Todd McNeill, Ashe County Commissioner](https://www.facebook.com/CommissionerToddMcNeill)\n- [4] [Commissioners - Ashe County](https://www.ashecountygov.com/commissioners)\n- [5] [McNeill appointment gives Ashe County voice in Hurricane Helene recovery | News | ashepostandtimes.com](https://www.ashepostandtimes.com/news/mcneill-appointment-gives-ashe-county-voice-in-hurricane-helene-recovery/article_4b7eba78-6173-4641-aa7a-507e23fbb1b4.html)\n- [6] [Todd McNeill - Chairman at Ashe County | The Org](https://theorg.com/org/ashe-county-of/org-chart/todd-mcneill)\n- [7] [Todd McNeill Appointed Executive Director of North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments - NCARCOG](https://ncarcog.org/news/todd-mcneill-appointed-executive-director-of-north-carolina-association-of-regional-councils-of-governments/)\n- [8] [Commissioner Meetings - Ashe County](https://www.ashecountygov.com/commissioners/commissioner-meetings)\n- [11] [Ashe County Commissioner Todd McNeill, Gov. Josh Stein visit Washington, D.C. | APG State News | reflector.com](https://www.reflector.com/apgstate/ashe-county-commissioner-todd-mcneill-gov-josh-stein-visit-washington-d-c/article_9a677715-368c-58aa-9870-aee2f71bf193.html)","firstname":"Todd","lastname":"Mcneill","middlename":"Allen","suffix":null,"token":"44d51c5d1201b63d"},"token":"dyoEd7iZc5t7EFv8"},{"candidatename":"Jerry D. Powers","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Jerry Dale Powers is a registered voter in Ashe County, North Carolina, registered since 1972 (54 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Jerry Dale Powers's year of birth as 1954; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 12 elections voted in since 2016, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records. No additional published biographical information was located. Voters with personal knowledge of Jerry Dale Powers can reach ballotproject.org with corrections or additions.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 Voter Search](https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[2] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (`ncvhis_Statewide`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/)","firstname":"Jerry","lastname":"Powers","middlename":"Dale","suffix":null,"token":"e364660696eaea49"},"token":"L8FUaELRtEkHE4HN"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":"county_commission","office":"county_commission","officedescription":"A county commissioner is a member of the county's legislative body. The commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, authorizes borrowing, and passes county resolutions and ordinances. Commissioners are elected from districts (or at-large seats) to represent constituents on countywide policy.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on countywide matters \u2014 budget, taxes, land use, services, and intergovernmental issues \u2014 within Tennessee county-government law.\n- Budget literacy: the commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and authorizes multi-year bond issues.\n- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances; committee work that pre-screens items.\n- Constituent relations in the district \u2014 case-work and community issues flow through the commissioner's office.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required annual continuing education through UT CTAS.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Commissioner","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":3,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Ashe County Board Of Commissioners"}