{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Joshua Millwood","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJoshua Millwood is a Republican candidate for the Rutherford County Board of Education, District 1, on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot; Democrats Douglas Morales and Erica Carson Davenport are also running for the seat [1]. At a candidate forum held in Spindale ahead of the March 3, 2026 primary, Millwood said he is concerned nationally about \"an erosion of support at all levels for public education,\" and on school choice said: \"I think you should have the right to educate your child any way that you want to, whether that's private school, charter school, public school, but that cannot come at the cost of eroding and gutting the public education system\" [1].\n\n## Background and education\n\nMillwood has lived in Rutherford County his entire life. He said he has never worked as a classroom educator but has worked stints in a school cafeteria and as a substitute teacher over the years [1].\n\n## Career\n\nMillwood said he has management experience in healthcare [1].\n\n## Family\n\nMillwood has eight children, four of whom were attending Mount Vernon-Ruth Elementary when it closed. He said the closure \"compelled me to pay more attention to my local politics, pay more attention to things that are going on in our county, because you don't realize how much it affects you until it affects you\" [1].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [School board candidates talk about future at forum](https://www.thedigitalcourier.com/archives/school-board-candidates-talk-about-future-at-forum/article_dd149bc6-d0ab-5a21-8a43-9902aa6ecd11.html) \u2014 The Digital Courier (Forest City, NC), accessed 2026-07-19","firstname":"Joshua","lastname":"Millwood","middlename":"Reid","suffix":null,"token":"03772dd4177c1e98"},"token":"kFQdDUZ9szletcyE"},{"candidatename":"Erica Carson Davenport","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Erica Carson Davenport is a Democratic candidate for the Rutherford County Schools Board of Education, District\u202f01, in the 2026 election cycle. The seat is one of the elected positions that govern the public schools in Rutherford County, North Carolina, and appears on the ballot in the Democratic primary held on March\u202f3,\u202f2026, with the general election scheduled for November\u202f3,\u202f2026\u202f[1][3]. In the Democratic primary, Davenport ran alongside Douglas Morales, while the Republican primary featured Joshua\u202fMillwood and Brandi\u202fEdney\u202fNanney\u202f[1].\n\nDavenport announced her candidacy on Facebook, describing herself as a parent and an advocate for transparency and quality education, and expressing a commitment to listening, learning, and leading responsibly for students and the community\u202f[9]. No additional biographical details such as education, professional background, or prior public service are provided in the available sources.\n\nRutherford County, where the race is taking place, has a population of approximately 64,444 residents, a median household income of $43,183, and a high\u2011school graduation rate of 84.9%\u202f[2]. The county\u2019s demographic and economic profile underscores the local context in which Davenport seeks to serve on the school board.\n\nThe election information for North Carolina in 2026 indicates that primary elections occur on March\u202f3, with runoff primaries on May\u202f12 if needed, and the general election on November\u202f3\u202f[3]. Davenport\u2019s campaign materials have not been linked to a dedicated website, and no email or phone contact information is available in the sources consulted.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Erica Carson Davenport (Rutherford County Schools, R-S District, North Carolina, candidate 2026) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Erica_Carson_Davenport_(Rutherford_County_Schools,_R-S_District,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2026))\n- [2] [Rutherford County, North Carolina, elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rutherford_County,_North_Carolina,_elections,_2026)\n- [3] [North Carolina elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_elections,_2026)\n- [4] [North Carolina's 6th Congressional District election, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina's_6th_Congressional_District_election,_2026)\n- [6] [Candidate Lists | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists)\n- [8] [2026 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_North_Carolina)\n- [9] [Erica Davenport](https://www.facebook.com/erica.carson.397/posts/im-excited-to-officially-announce-my-candidacy-for-rutherford-county-school-boar/10214262691517576/)\n- [12] [Erica Davenport Address, Phone Number, Email Address - YellowBook](https://www.yellowbook.com/people/erica-davenport/)","firstname":"Erica","lastname":"Davenport","middlename":"Carson","suffix":null,"token":"5d0e2534ad7949e7"},"token":"PRGhP-gkftataB3F"}],"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":"Rutherford County Board Of Education District 01"}