{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Jason Grindstaff","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Jason Edward Grindstaff is a Republican candidate for the Avery County Board of Commissioners in the 2026 North Carolina election. He appears on the official 2026 primary candidate list for Avery County Commissioner, confirming his intent to run again after his 2024 campaign [9][10].\n\nGrindstaff\u2019s prior electoral experience includes filing for the 2024 Avery County Board of Commissioners race, where he was listed among seven Republican candidates seeking the three available seats on the board [10]. In the March 5, 2024 Republican primary, Grindstaff placed fourth, receiving 1,396 votes, which was insufficient to advance to the November general election ballot, as only the top three primary vote\u2011getters move forward [11].\n\nNo biographical details such as education, professional background, or prior public service are provided in the available sources. Ballotpedia\u2019s profile for Grindstaff notes the lack of additional personal information and indicates that he did not complete the Candidate Connection survey, leaving his policy positions and endorsements undocumented [1].\n\nGrindstaff\u2019s campaign for 2026 therefore builds on his earlier attempt to join the county commission, but specific platform points, endorsements, or campaign activities have not been reported in the sources consulted. Voters seeking more information may need to consult local news outlets or the candidate\u2019s own communications, which are not linked in the current records.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Jason Grindstaff (Avery County Board of Commissioners, North Carolina, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jason_Grindstaff_(Avery_County_Board_of_Commissioners,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2024))\n- [9] [2026 primary election candidate list final as filing ends | Government | averyjournal.com](https://www.averyjournal.com/news/government/2026-primary-election-candidate-list-final-as-filing-ends/article_0b21a2f9-b383-4297-a5c8-ecae1110b203.html)\n- [10] [Sixteen Candidates File for Avery County Offices in 2024 Election - High Country Press](https://www.hcpress.com/announcements/sixteen-candidates-file-for-avery-county-offices-in-2024-election.html)\n- [11] [2024 Avery Primary Election Results\u2026 Burnop, Webb, and Wright Claim School Board Seats; Incumbents Aldridge and Phillips Join Benfield in Winning County Commission Republican Primary - High Country Press](https://www.hcpress.com/avery/2024-avery-primary-election-results-burnop-webb-and-wright-claim-school-board-seats-incumbents-aldridge-and-phillips-join-benfield-in-winning-county-commission-republican-primary.html)\n- [12] [Jason Grindstaff (21 public records) - Address, Email, Phone Number | UnMask](https://unmask.com/Jason-Grindstaff/)","firstname":"Jason","lastname":"Grindstaff","middlename":"Edward","suffix":null,"token":"2c37f8ca5d59e64d"},"token":"Dalo4tygYWbPkmT8"},{"candidatename":"Dennis Aldridge","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Dennis Randolph Aldridge is a registered voter in Avery County, North Carolina, registered since 1998 (28 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Dennis Randolph Aldridge's year of birth as 1955; 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 17 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 Dennis Randolph Aldridge 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":"Dennis","lastname":"Aldridge","middlename":"Randolph","suffix":null,"token":"d3b79b65ea8c8555"},"token":"S9ZoxeOwxQmIHq0j"},{"candidatename":"Robert Burleson","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nRobert Allen Burleson is a Republican candidate for the Avery County Board of Commissioners in the 2026 election [1].\n\n## Office history\nBurleson has served on the Avery County Board of Commissioners since 2022, according to the county's official commissioner profile page [1]. He appeared on the November 8, 2022 general-election ballot for the board as a Republican [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Robert Burleson \u2013 Avery County, NC](https://averycountync.gov/residents/our_government/robert_burleson.php) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-19\n[2] [Robert Burleson (Avery County Board of Commissioners, North Carolina, candidate 2022) \u2013 Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Robert_Burleson_(Avery_County_Board_of_Commissioners,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022)) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-19","firstname":"Robert","lastname":"Burleson","middlename":"Allen","suffix":null,"token":"29bbffc5d54d19a3"},"token":"vHmBJxXlY4JAT1RV"},{"candidatename":"Keisha Young","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Keisha Marie Young is a registered voter in Avery County, North Carolina, registered since 2017 (9 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Keisha Marie Young's year of birth as 1985; 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 4 elections voted in since 2020, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nKeisha Marie Young was a Republican candidate for Avery County Board of Commissioners in the March 3, 2026 primary, one of eight Republicans seeking three nominations. Young received 287 votes, finishing 8th of 8 Republican candidates, and did not advance to the November 2026 general election [3].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records and the state's certified primary results. Voters with personal knowledge of Keisha Marie Young 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/)\n\n[3] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 2026 primary certified results, Avery County](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_precinct_sort/AVERY_PRECINCT_SORT.txt) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-21","firstname":"Keisha","lastname":"Young","middlename":"Marie","suffix":null,"token":"0473c7aaa502a10f"},"token":"a-ok5js4pvZKHBZR"},{"candidatename":"Chris Lyerly","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Christopher Houston Lyerly is a registered voter in Avery County, North Carolina, registered since 2015 (11 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Christopher Houston Lyerly's year of birth as 1984; 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 2016, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nChristopher Houston Lyerly was a Republican candidate for Avery County Board of Commissioners in the March 3, 2026 primary, one of eight Republicans seeking three nominations. Lyerly received 746 votes, finishing 6th of 8 Republican candidates, and did not advance to the November 2026 general election [3].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records and the state's certified primary results. Voters with personal knowledge of Christopher Houston Lyerly 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/)\n\n[3] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 2026 primary certified results, Avery County](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_precinct_sort/AVERY_PRECINCT_SORT.txt) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-21","firstname":"Christopher","lastname":"Lyerly","middlename":"Houston","suffix":null,"token":"825cfa76a7f90d7d"},"token":"r91JUL1FA5_wBy9j"},{"candidatename":"Martha Jaynes Hicks","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMartha Jaynes Hicks, a Republican, served as an Avery County Commissioner starting in 2008, and had been serving as board chairwoman for about ten years as of a June 2023 profile [1]. She is not among the county's currently listed sitting commissioners [2]. Hicks ran for a return to the Avery County Board of Commissioners in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary, one of eight Republicans seeking three nominations. She placed 5th with 798 votes -- behind the top three finishers, Dennis Aldridge (1,451), Robert Burleson (1,220), and Jason Grindstaff (1,103) -- and did not advance to the November 2026 general election [3].\n\n## Background and education\nA lifelong Avery County resident, Hicks was born in Newland, one of three children of Lloyd Albert Jaynes and Elizabeth Townsend Jaynes. She graduated from Newland High School [1].\n\n## Career\nHicks worked 17 years as a bank teller and loan officer at Avery County Bank in Newland; ten years for American Wicker in Foscoe as a designer and supervisor; ten years with Glen Raven; and two years with Lowes Foods [1]. She was elected to the Avery County Commission in 2008 and served as board chairwoman for roughly the decade before mid-2023 [1].\n\nBoard service has included the Mayland Community College Board of Trustees, Avery Transportation Advisory Board, Avery County Council on Aging, and the Avery Veterans Monument Project Committee [1].\n\n## Family\nMarried to Phillip Wade Hicks; the couple lives in the Heaton community of Avery County. Her niece and great-niece have also served in local government in Newland [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Martha Hicks: Avery Legend, Patriot and County Commission Chairwoman \u2014 High Country Press](https://www.hcpress.com/avery/martha-hicks-avery-legend-patriot-and-county-commission-chairwoman.html) (published 2023-06-07)\n\n[2] [Commissioner Profiles \u2014 Avery County, NC](https://www.averycountync.gov/residents/our_government/commissionerprofiles.php) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-21 (lists Tim Phillips, Dennis Aldridge, Wood Hall Young Jr., Robert Burleson, and Junior Benfield as the current board; Hicks is not listed)\n\n[3] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 2026 primary certified results, Avery County](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_precinct_sort/AVERY_PRECINCT_SORT.txt) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-21","firstname":"Martha","lastname":"Hicks","middlename":"Jaynes","suffix":null,"token":"cd8e844b99a9c57c"},"token":"w9H05a983Nr9TTQh"},{"candidatename":"Robin Ollis","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Robin  Ollis is a registered voter in Avery County, North Carolina, registered since 2015 (11 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Robin  Ollis's year of birth as 1967; 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 7 elections voted in since 2018, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nRobin Ollis was a Republican candidate for Avery County Board of Commissioners in the March 3, 2026 primary, one of eight Republicans seeking three nominations. Ollis received 896 votes, finishing 4th of 8 Republican candidates, and did not advance to the November 2026 general election [3].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records and the state's certified primary results. Voters with personal knowledge of Robin Ollis 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/)\n\n[3] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 2026 primary certified results, Avery County](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_precinct_sort/AVERY_PRECINCT_SORT.txt) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-21","firstname":"Robin","lastname":"Ollis","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"e65982e4d757284d"},"token":"n9PEKxWZd9RGf8d1"},{"candidatename":"Dillon S. Gentry","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Dillon Spureon Gentry is a registered voter in Avery County, North Carolina, registered since 2025 (1 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Dillon Spureon Gentry's year of birth as 1992; 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 8 elections voted in since 2016, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nDillon Spureon Gentry was a Republican candidate for Avery County Board of Commissioners in the March 3, 2026 primary, one of eight Republicans seeking three nominations. Gentry received 442 votes, finishing 7th of 8 Republican candidates, and did not advance to the November 2026 general election [3].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records and the state's certified primary results. Voters with personal knowledge of Dillon Spureon Gentry 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/)\n\n[3] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 2026 primary certified results, Avery County](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_precinct_sort/AVERY_PRECINCT_SORT.txt) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-21","firstname":"Dillon","lastname":"Gentry","middlename":"Spureon","suffix":null,"token":"a8162be4a158e033"},"token":"RsseDhW_yW_MDiqh"}],"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":"Avery County Board Of Commissioners"}