{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Fred R. Hatley","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Fred Ransom Hatley JR is a registered voter in Lincoln County, North Carolina, registered since 1976 (50 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Fred Ransom Hatley JR's year of birth as 1949; 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 11 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 Fred Ransom Hatley 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":"Fred","lastname":"Hatley","middlename":"Ransom","suffix":"JR","token":"c37339180936af5f"},"token":"6kzuBr1X-3waeoO2"},{"candidatename":"Melissa L. Elmore","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nMelissa L. Elmore currently serves as the Register of Deeds for Lincoln County, North Carolina [1]. She is a candidate in the 2026 election for the same office, which she seeks to retain [1]. As of May 2026, the outcome of this upcoming election remains unknown [5].\n\nElmore\u2019s campaign has been covered by local media outlets, including Wise News Network, which published an introduction to her candidacy in February 2026 [7]. Her official staff directory listing confirms her role within the Lincoln County government structure [2].\n\n## Career\n\nMelissa L. Elmore serves as the Register of Deeds for Lincoln County, North Carolina [1]. Her office is located at 206 Gamble Drive, 2nd Floor, in Lincolnton, NC 28092, and can be reached at (704) 736-8530 [4]. Elmore is listed on the Lincoln County staff directory as the Register of Deeds [2][3].\n\nIn February 2026, Elmore announced her candidacy for the position of Lincoln County Register of Deeds [7][8]. She has established an open candidate committee in connection with this campaign [5][6].\n\n## Office history\n\nMelissa L. Elmore is a candidate for Lincoln County Register of Deeds in the 2026 election [1]. She is running as a Republican and is currently unopposed in this race [9]. Her candidacy was announced by Wise News Network in February 2026 [7]. If elected, she will take office following the November 3, 2026 general election [9].\n\nThe provided sources do not contain information regarding any prior elected or appointed offices held by Elmore, nor do they document any previous elections she has run in and lost. Consequently, no historical office history can be detailed from the available evidence.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Melissa L. Elmore (Lincoln County Register of Deeds, North ...](https://ballotpedia.org/Melissa_L._Elmore_(Lincoln_County_Register_of_Deeds,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2026))\n[2] [Staff Directory \u2022 Melissa Elmore - Lincoln County](https://www.lincolncountync.gov/directory.aspx?EID=109)\n[3] [Staff Directory \u2022 Register of Deeds - Lincoln County](https://www.lincolncountync.gov/Directory.aspx?did=23)\n[4] [Register of Deeds - Lincoln County](http://www.lincolncountync.gov/Directory/Home/DepartmentListing?DID=23)\n[5] [Open Candidate Committees | County of Lincoln, NC - Official Website](https://www.lincolncountync.gov/2648/Open-Candidate-Committees)\n[6] [Open Candidate Committees | County of Lincoln, NC - Official Website](https://lincolncountync.gov/2648/Candidate-Information)\n[7] [Meet Melissa Elmore who is running for Lincoln County NC Register ...](https://www.instagram.com/p/DUrLnGJDcYC/)\n[8] [Melissa Elmore Running For Lincoln County Register of Deeds - Wise](https://www.facebook.com/WiseNewsNetwork/posts/meet-melissa-elmore-who-is-running-for-lincoln-county-nc-register-of-deeds-full-/897637546346343/)\n[9] [Lincoln Register of Deeds | November 3, 2026 election](https://branch.vote/races/2026-north-carolina-general-election-nc-state-register-of-deeds-nc-county-lincoln)","firstname":"Melissa","lastname":"Elmore","middlename":"Lynn","suffix":null,"token":"f5a8719a042000c6"},"token":"k3avY381fV34L98Y"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"register_of_deeds","o.office":"register_of_deeds","office":"register_of_deeds","officedescription":"The register of deeds maintains the county's permanent public record of real-property instruments \u2014 deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats \u2014 and collects the state transfer and mortgage taxes on them. The record the office keeps is the legal backbone of property ownership.","officequalities":"- Records management of deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and other instruments affecting title to land.\n- Working knowledge of Tennessee recording statutes, the recording-tax schedule, and the increasingly-electronic submission workflow used by title companies.\n- Accuracy and indexing discipline \u2014 an error in the register's records can cloud title for years.\n- Public-access service: the records are open, and the office serves both professional users and individual property owners.\n- Budget and technology literacy for maintaining a searchable, modern record system.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Register of Deeds","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Lincoln County Register Of Deeds"}