{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Jimmy T. Tate","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Jimmy Tate is the Republican nominee appointed to fill the unexpired District\u202f4 seat on the Pender County Board of Commissioners, a term that runs through 2028. The Board serves as the county\u2019s governing body, responsible for setting policy, adopting the budget and overseeing local services such as public safety, infrastructure, and economic development. Tate was sworn in again on April\u202f7,\u202f2025 after the Pender County GOP Executive Committee nominated him to replace Commissioner Ken\u202fSmith, who resigned to relocate with his congregation\u202f[3][9][12].\n\nTate holds a doctorate, as indicated by the \"Dr.\" title used in local news coverage\u202f[3][9]. He earned his undergraduate education in North Carolina and later pursued graduate work, though the specific field is not detailed in the available sources. He is an African\u2011American gay man, a fact he has highlighted as part of his personal narrative and public service identity\u202f[5].\n\nHis public\u2011service career spans more than two decades. Tate first joined the Pender County Board of Commissioners in 2008 and served continuously until 2015, when he resigned to become vice\u2011president of college advancement and human resources at James\u202fSprunt Community College in Duplin County\u202f[6]. He returned to the board after being elected in December\u202f2022, but stepped down just 30\u202fdays later, citing discriminatory remarks about his race and the hostile environment created by fellow commissioners\u202f[6][11]. In January\u202f2023 he publicly announced his resignation, describing the situation as \u201cunmanageable\u201d due to hate directed at him\u202f[11].\n\nAfter a two\u2011year hiatus, Tate was reappointed in April\u202f2025 to complete the remainder of Smith\u2019s term. The appointment was endorsed by State Senator Brent\u202fJackson, who praised Tate as a \u201cdedicated\u201d public servant who understands the needs of educators, schools, colleges and the county\u2019s vital farming sector\u202f[6][9]. Tate also serves as a political\u2011science instructor at the University of North Carolina, lecturing on rural leadership development, and he is board president and CEO of the Mt.\u202fCalvary Center for Leadership Development, an organization that trains community advocates\u202f[9]. Additionally, he sits on the University of North Carolina Wilmington Board of Trustees\u202f[11].\n\nSince returning to the commission, Tate has emphasized a focus on \u201cgood, tough decisions\u201d for Pender County, citing challenges such as infrastructure, economic growth, and education\u202f[5][12]. He has expressed a commitment to remain on the board and to work beyond the \u201cnarrative\u201d of past controversies, aiming to build relationships across the political spectrum and to support the county\u2019s farmers, schools and colleges\u202f[5][6]. Tate\u2019s platform, as reflected in his public statements and endorsements, centers on community cohesion, economic development, and addressing the concerns of a diverse constituency while confronting discrimination and misinformation that have marked his earlier tenure.\n\n## Sources\n- [3] [Pender County GOP Executive Committee nominates Dr. Jimmy Tate for county commissioner](https://www.wect.com/2025/03/27/pender-county-gop-nominates-dr-jimmy-tate-county-commissioner/)\n- [5] [After a swift departure, Pender County Commissioner Jimmy Tate explains challenges from two years ago - WWAYTV3](https://www.wwaytv3.com/after-a-swift-departure-pender-county-commissioner-jimmy-tate-explains-challenges-from-two-years-ago/)\n- [6] [Former Pender County commissioner rejoins the board | WHQR](https://www.whqr.org/local/2025-04-09/former-pender-county-commissioner-re-joins-the-board)\n- [9] [Former commissioner returns to Pender County board following member resignation | Port City Daily](https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/government/2025/04/08/former-commissioner-returns-to-pender-county-board-following-member-resignation/)\n- [11] [Republican Pender County commissioner resigns seat](https://www.carolinajournal.com/republican-pender-county-commissioner-resigns-seat/)\n- [12] [Jimmy Tate returns to his role as County Commissioner](https://www.wect.com/2025/04/09/jimmy-tate-returns-his-role-county-commissioner/)","firstname":"Jimmy","lastname":"Tate","middlename":"Teriell","suffix":null,"token":"78e19646861f272c"},"token":"JnyAyimy_qs_M4U4"},{"candidatename":"Max Southworth-Beckwith","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nMaximillian Hunter Southworth-Beckwith ran as the Republican candidate for Pender County Board of Commissioners District 04 (Unexpired) in the March 3, 2026 primary but did not advance, receiving 2336 votes to Jimmy T. Tate's 4179, per North Carolina State Board of Elections certified primary results [1]. Maximillian Hunter Southworth-Beckwith will not appear on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot for this race.\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, Maximillian Hunter Southworth-Beckwith is a registered voter in Pender County, North Carolina, registered since 2020 (6 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [2].\n\nThe voter file shows Maximillian Hunter Southworth-Beckwith's year of birth as 1990; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [2].\n\nThe voter history file shows 9 elections voted in since 2016, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [3].\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 Maximillian Hunter Southworth-Beckwith can reach ballotproject.org with corrections or additions.\n\n## Sources\n[1] North Carolina State Board of Elections, certified March 3, 2026 primary results, PENDER County precinct-level results (`PENDER_PRECINCT_SORT.txt`), https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_precinct_sort/PENDER_PRECINCT_SORT.txt \u2014 accessed 2026-07-21\n\n[2] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 Voter Search](https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[3] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (`ncvhis_Statewide`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/)","firstname":"Maximillian","lastname":"Southworth-Beckwith","middlename":"Hunter","suffix":null,"token":"7fdec1a0e67a183c"},"token":"gp6jM7sNybGnq7I1"}],"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":"Pender County Board Of Commissioners District 04 (Unexpired)"}