{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Sharon McNeill Gainey","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Sharon McNeill Gainey is the Democratic member representing District\u202f1 on the Harnett County Board of Education and is a candidate for the same seat in the November\u202f3\u202f2026 general election. The Board of Education oversees the Harnett County Schools system, setting policy, approving budgets, and guiding curriculum and safety initiatives for the district\u2019s public schools.\n\nGainey\u2019s public record shows she previously ran for the Harnett County Schools board in the 2022 general election, appearing on the ballot for District\u202f1 on November\u202f8,\u202f2022 as the Democratic nominee [2]. While the Ballotpedia profile does not list formal education credentials, her continued involvement in local education governance suggests a background of community engagement and familiarity with school\u2011district operations.\n\nSince at least 2022, Gainey has served on the Board of Education, participating in decisions that affect teachers, students, and taxpayers. The Harnett County Republican Party\u2019s official listing confirms she is the current District\u202f1 board member and identifies her as a Democrat [10]. In that role she has been active on issues of school safety; a 2026 WRAL article quotes Gainey discussing the importance of safety procedures and encouraging students and staff to report concerns, reflecting her advocacy for secure learning environments [12].\n\nIn the upcoming 2026 race, Gainey is campaigning to retain her seat, emphasizing continued focus on student safety, fiscal responsibility, and quality education for Harnett County families. Her prior campaign materials list a contact email (sgaineyfordistrict1boe@gmail.com) for constituents to reach her directly [2], and the county\u2019s Board of Education contact number (910\u2011893\u20118151) is provided for general inquiries [10].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [North Carolina elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_elections,_2026)\n- [2] [Sharon McNeill Gainey (Harnett County Schools school board District 1, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Sharon_McNeill_Gainey_(Harnett_County_Schools_school_board_District_1,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022))\n- [3] [Candidate Lists | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists)\n- [7] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [8] [Results from 2026 Candidate Filing - Carolina Forward](https://carolinaforward.org/blog/results-from-2026-candidate-filing/)\n- [10] [Elected Officials - Harnett County Republican Party](https://harnett.nc.gop/elected_officials)\n- [12] [North Carolina parents concerned over school safety after Georgia mass shooting](https://www.wral.com/story/north-carolina-parents-concerned-over-school-safety-after-georgia-mass-shooting/21609102/)","firstname":"Sharon","lastname":"Gainey","middlename":"Mcneill","suffix":null,"token":"8801e9aae826b897"},"token":"2kpohp4-wXoRo6Bg"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"school_board","o.office":"county_school_board","office":"county_school_board","officedescription":"A school board member serves on the elected body that governs a public school district. The board sets district policy and budget priorities and hires and evaluates the superintendent, while leaving day-to-day management to the administration.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment for a public school district \u2014 setting direction while leaving day-to-day management to the superintendent.\n- Budget literacy for operating and capital budgets, in coordination with the county commission (which appropriates) and the state.\n- Ability to hire, evaluate, and when necessary replace the superintendent \u2014 the board's highest-stakes recurring decision.\n- Constituent relations with parents, teachers, principals, and community members.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required annual training through the Tennessee School Boards Association.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County School Board Member","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Harnett County Board Of Education District 01"}