{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"B. Phil Howell","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nBrandon Phil Howell, known as B. Phil Howell, is the incumbent Sheriff of Ashe County, North Carolina, and is seeking re-election in 2026. He was first elected Sheriff in 2018 and is serving his second term. Howell won the 2026 Republican primary with 55.53 percent of the vote.\n\nHowell's 2026 campaign emphasizes expanded community outreach events, aggressive drug enforcement, fleet vehicle modernization, and advocacy for competitive deputy pay and staffing levels.\n\n## Background and education\nHowell is a lifelong Ashe County resident who attended local schools before earning a degree from North Carolina State University in 2006. He also earned his law enforcement certification at Wake Technical Community College.\n\n## Career\nHowell began his career as a State Park Ranger in 2006. He returned to Ashe County in 2010, joining the sheriff's office as an undercover narcotics detective investigating felony drug cases. He also served as a patrol officer and later as Director of 911 Dispatch, where he modernized systems and created a backup communications center. He has approximately 20 years of law enforcement experience.\n\n## Family\nHowell is married to Amanda and they have three daughters: Emma, Norah, and Adi.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Ashe County voting guide for sheriff \u2013 Ashe Post & Times](https://www.ashepostandtimes.com/news/ashe-county-voting-guide-for-sheriff/article_600c3eec-2f58-4979-b44e-709e1c992f81.html)\n- [2] [Sheriff B. Phil Howell \u2013 North Carolina Sheriffs' Association](https://ncsheriffs.org/people/b-phil-howell)\n","firstname":"Brandon","lastname":"Howell","middlename":"Phil","suffix":null,"token":"edbb05e52d296545"},"token":"psRrjTv_z1rXPJPM"}],"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":"Ashe County Sheriff"}