{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Tom Appleby","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nThomas Winsor Appleby Jr., known as Tom Appleby, is a Bat Cave, North Carolina resident who ran in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary for the Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 4 seat against incumbent Commissioner Rebecca McCall, who was seeking a third term [1]. McCall won the primary, 7,285 votes to Appleby's 3,493 [2]; Appleby will not appear on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot [2].\n\nAppleby did not respond to the Hendersonville Lightning's standard candidate-survey questions, instead submitting his own statement to the paper: he said he was committed to \"helping farmers and citizens,\" intended to \"re-evaluate all new projects\" because he had \"not been happy with the direction of the last four years,\" and said he had once sued to remove paid parking kiosks from downtown Hendersonville's Main Street shopping district because \"the people own the right-of-way, not mayors\" [1].\n\n## Career\nPer his own statement to the Hendersonville Lightning, Appleby holds a four-year degree in business and economics and is a licensed ginseng dealer [1]. He described himself as an outdoor enthusiast who skis, races, and hikes [1]. Referencing hurricane recovery in the Bat Cave area, he said the community had relied heavily on volunteers and that, if elected, he hoped to help secure more county assistance for it [1].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [VOTER GUIDE: Board of Commissioners - Hendersonville Lightning](https://www.hendersonvillelightning.com/four-seasons-politics/15839-voter-guide-henderson-county-board-of-commissioners.html)\n- [2] [North Carolina State Board of Elections -- certified March 3, 2026 primary precinct-level results (results_pct_20260303)](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/index.html?prefix=ENRS/2026_03_03/)\n","firstname":"Thomas","lastname":"Appleby","middlename":"Winsor","suffix":"JR","token":"30d36c0f4b42048c"},"token":"fGhjzIK0iDZtl0nd"},{"candidatename":"Rebecca K. McCall","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Rebecca Kate McCall is the incumbent Republican commissioner for Henderson County, North Carolina, representing District\u202f4 and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election. She currently serves her second four\u2011year term, which began after she was sworn in on December\u202f3,\u202f2018 and is set to expire in December\u202f2026\u30103\u3011.\n\nBorn June\u202f15,\u202f1956, McCall grew up in the county and graduated from East Henderson High School. She pursued further studies at Blue Ridge Community College and attended both Brevard College and Montreat College\u30103\u3011. She is married to Ernest W.\u202fMcCall\u202fSr., has three children and seven grandchildren\u30103\u3011.\n\nBefore entering public service, McCall built a career in the lighting industry. She worked for GE Lighting Inc. from 1991 to 2001 and later for Hubbell Lighting Inc., retiring in 2017 after a 14\u2011year tenure\u30103\u3011. Her professional involvement included leadership roles such as Vice Chairman of the Lighting Division of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and past membership in the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA)\u30103\u3011.\n\nMcCall\u2019s civic engagement includes membership in the Hendersonville Lions Club, participation in Bethel Wesleyan Church, and being a charter member of the Upsilon Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Blue Ridge Community College\u30103\u3011. In 2022 she ran as the Republican candidate for the Henderson County Board of Commissioners District\u202f4, appearing on the November\u202f8,\u202f2022 ballot\u30101\u3011. She was also elected to serve as a District Director for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC)\u30104\u3011.\n\nAs a commissioner, McCall helps set county policy, adopts ordinances, and oversees the budget for Henderson County. She can be reached at the county office phone (828)\u202f697\u20114808 and by email at rebecca4091@att.net, the address listed for candidate contact on Ballotpedia\u30101\u3011\u30103\u3011.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Rebecca McCall (Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 4, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rebecca_McCall_(Henderson_County_Board_of_Commissioners_District_4,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022))\n- [3] [Rebecca McCall | Henderson County North Carolina](https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/directory-listing/rebecca-mccall)\n- [4] [Rebecca McCall, Henderson County Commissioner, Elected to Serve as NCACC District Director | Henderson County North Carolina](https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/county/page/rebecca-mccall-henderson-county-commissioner-elected-serve-ncacc-district-director)\n- [6] [Directory Listings | Henderson County North Carolina](https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/directory)\n- [9] [Board of Commissioners | Henderson County North Carolina](https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/directory-listing-departments/board-commissioners)\n- [10] [Board of Commissioners Contact Information | Henderson County North Carolina](https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/boc/custom-contact-page/board-commissioners-contact-information)\n- [11] [Board of Commissioners Meeting | Henderson County North Carolina](https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/boc/page/board-commissioners-meeting-429)","firstname":"Rebecca","lastname":"Mccall","middlename":"Kate","suffix":null,"token":"5babe6075c123e3d"},"token":"JTq28w6htE3-YjS9"}],"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":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Henderson County Board Of Commissioners District 04"}