{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Harry Southerland","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Harry Lamont Southerland is a Democratic member of the Hoke County Board of Commissioners, serving at\u2011large and whose current term runs through December\u202f31,\u202f2026. He is again a candidate for the Hoke County Board of Commissioners in the 2026 primary election\u202f[10].\n\nSoutherland was born and raised in Raeford, North Carolina. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Administration and Management from North Carolina State University and a Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University\u202f[3][8]. He also holds a second bachelor\u2019s degree in economics from NC\u202fState\u202f[8].\n\nBefore entering elected office, Southerland built a career in both law and business. He has been chair of The Southerland Group since 2002\u202f[3] and for the past five years has served as agency director of Elite Group Services, a home\u2011health agency in Raeford\u202f[8]. He also co\u2011hosts the Sheryl Underwood Radio show\u202f[3] and previously owned and operated a multimillion\u2011dollar business employing over 200 people\u202f[9]. His professional background includes negotiating large\u2011scale contracts and serving on numerous legal and civic organizations, such as the North Carolina Bar Association and the 100\u202fBlack\u202fMen Association\u202f[3].\n\nSoutherland\u2019s public service began with a four\u2011year stint on the Hoke County Board of Education, where he served as vice chair from 2000 to 2004\u202f[3]. He was first elected to the Hoke County Board of Commissioners in 2015 and has now completed seven years in that role\u202f[8]. As a commissioner he oversees an annual county budget exceeding $56\u202fmillion, directing funds toward commercial and residential growth\u202f[8]. Notable achievements during his tenure include raising the minimum wage for full\u2011time county employees and initiating construction on a $27\u202fmillion aquatic and recreation center\u202f[8].\n\nIn addition to his elected duties, Southerland remains active in community organizations, including the Hoke County Civic League and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity\u202f[3]. He previously served on the Judicial District\u202f16A Penalties Committee and the North Carolina Association of Trial Attorneys\u202f[3].\n\nSoutherland\u2019s campaign for re\u2011election is hosted on his personal website, www.harrysoutherland.com, where voters can learn more about his platform and contact his campaign\u202f[4].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Harry Southerland (Hoke County Board of Commissioners, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Harry_Southerland_(Hoke_County_Board_of_Commissioners,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022))\n- [3] [Harry Southerland's Biography](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/162740/harry-southerland)\n- [4] [Vote-USA | Harry Southerland | Currently Elected Hoke County Board of Commissioners At-Large, Hoke County, North Carolina](https://vote-usa.org/Intro.aspx?State=NC&Id=NCSoutherlandHarry)\n- [8] [Harry Southerland | Cake](https://www.cake.me/resumes/harry-southerland)\n- [9] [Harry Southerland](https://www.thenews-journal.com/pages/harrysoutherland.html)\n- [10] [Harry Southerland | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/nc/north-carolina-hoke-county-commissioner/harry-southerland)","firstname":"Harry","lastname":"Southerland","middlename":"Lamont","suffix":null,"token":"59219d7d5ab2d2ee"},"token":"4xXXoRhuI2ChHHHA"},{"candidatename":"Deborah McMillan-Evans","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nDeborah McMillan-Evans is a Democratic candidate for one of three seats on the Hoke County Board of Commissioners in the 2026 election. She placed third of five candidates in the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary, with 2,047 votes; Allen Thomas (2,961 votes) and Harry Southerland (2,691 votes) placed first and second. All three advance to the November 3, 2026 general election, while Tony Hunt (1,775 votes) and Ricky Locklear (1,159 votes) did not advance [1][4]. Per her campaign website, her platform priorities include violence control in Hoke County schools, rehabilitation programs for former inmates, economic growth and small-business support, public safety and community trust, and resources for seniors [2].\n\n## Background and education\n\nA lifelong resident of Hoke County, McMillan-Evans says on her campaign website that she graduated from Hoke County High School in 1989, holds an associate degree in Human Services Technology from Sandhills Community College and an associate degree in Early Childhood from Fayetteville Technical College, a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Ashford University, and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Leadership, Policy and Advocacy in Early Childhood [2].\n\n## Career\n\nMcMillan-Evans's campaign website describes her as Pastor and Founder of Kingdom of Glory Ministries, Inc., a Hoke County church [2].\n\n## Office history\n\nMcMillan-Evans previously ran for the Hoke County Board of Commissioners in the 2024 Democratic primary, placing fourth of seven candidates with 793 votes. James A. Leach (1,910 votes) and Mary Blue McCollum (1,591 votes) received the most votes and advanced to the November 2024 general election [3].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nMcMillan-Evans owns and operates two Hoke County childcare businesses, Little Angels Childcare and Garden of Eden Childcare, which her campaign website says she has run for \"25+ years\" [2].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 2026 Candidate Filing List](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/Candidate_Listing_2026.csv) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n\n[2] [McMillan-Evans for Hoke County Commissioner \u2014 campaign website](https://deborahmcmillan-evans.com/home) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n\n[3] North Carolina State Board of Elections, 2024 primary precinct-level election results (`results_pct_20240305.txt`, from [https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2024_03_05/results_pct_20240305.zip](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2024_03_05/results_pct_20240305.zip)) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n\n[4] North Carolina State Board of Elections, 2026 primary precinct-level election results (`results_pct_20260303.txt`, from [https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip)) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-24","firstname":"Deborah","lastname":"Mcmillan-Evans","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"01cc5623337b3a82"},"token":"BnVAnwqG2m_cwCQB"},{"candidatename":"Ricky Locklear","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\n**Ricky Locklear lost the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary for the Hoke County Board of Commissioners (vote for three), placing fifth (last) of five candidates with 1,159 votes; Allen Thomas (2,961), Harry Southerland (2,691), and Deborah McMillan-Evans (2,047) won the three nominations and advance to the November 3, 2026 general election.** [3]\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, Ricky  Locklear is a registered voter in Hoke County, North Carolina, registered since 1993 (33 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Ricky  Locklear's year of birth as 1961; 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 3 elections voted in since 2022, 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 Ricky  Locklear 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, 2026 primary precinct-level election results (`results_pct_20260303.txt`, from [https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip)) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-24","firstname":"Ricky","lastname":"Locklear","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"b6a4810900ea8e8c"},"token":"wyEeqs0JK7-HHJSp"},{"candidatename":"Tony Hunt","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\n**Anthony Derek Hunt lost the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary for the Hoke County Board of Commissioners (vote for three), placing fourth of five candidates with 1,775 votes; Allen Thomas (2,961), Harry Southerland (2,691), and Deborah McMillan-Evans (2,047) won the three nominations and advance to the November 3, 2026 general election.** [3]\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, Anthony Derek Hunt is a registered voter in Hoke County, North Carolina, registered since 1990 (36 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Anthony Derek Hunt's year of birth as 1962; 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 10 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 Anthony Derek Hunt 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, 2026 primary precinct-level election results (`results_pct_20260303.txt`, from [https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip)) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-24","firstname":"Anthony","lastname":"Hunt","middlename":"Derek","suffix":null,"token":"56f7031f5adc4fba"},"token":"SUHXCSyoXZax82tD"},{"candidatename":"Allen Thomas","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Allen Melvin Thomas JR is a registered voter in Hoke County, North Carolina, registered since 2006 (20 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Allen Melvin Thomas JR's year of birth as 1986; 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 16 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 Allen Melvin Thomas JR 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":"Allen","lastname":"Thomas","middlename":"Melvin","suffix":"JR","token":"eaacbf5076f52a86"},"token":"PDfNOqd8jupRo2PJ"}],"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":"Hoke County Board Of Commissioners"}