{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"E. Sonya M. Powell","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"**Sonya Mclaurin Powell, the incumbent, did not win re-election to the Sampson County Schools Board of Education in the March 3, 2026 nonpartisan election. She was one of three outgoing board members not returning when the newly elected members were sworn in on July 1, 2026 [3][4].**\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, Sonya Mclaurin Powell is a registered voter in Sampson County, North Carolina, registered since 1982 (44 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Sonya Mclaurin Powell's year of birth as 1955; 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 Sonya Mclaurin Powell 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] [Grady makes clerk history \u2013 Sampson Independent](https://www.clintonnc.com/news/breaking-news/112367/grady-makes-clerk-history)\n\n[4] [A changing of the guard \u2013 Sampson Independent](https://www.clintonnc.com/news/140585/a-changing-of-the-guard)","firstname":"Sonya","lastname":"Powell","middlename":"Mclaurin","suffix":null,"token":"cecb8559e0d76d2d"},"token":"7f83hegsqKdb8gHJ"},{"candidatename":"Michael S. Elmore","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Michael Steven Elmore is a registered voter in Sampson County, North Carolina, registered since 1990 (36 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Michael Steven Elmore's year of birth as 1971; 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 12 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 Michael Steven Elmore 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":"Michael","lastname":"Elmore","middlename":"Steven","suffix":null,"token":"c0267ff579879629"},"token":"COFNgDD7VB2_dZq7"},{"candidatename":"Daryll Warren","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Daryll Bradford Warren is a registered voter in Sampson County, North Carolina, registered since 2010 (16 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Daryll Bradford Warren's year of birth as 1982; 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 Daryll Bradford Warren 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":"Daryll","lastname":"Warren","middlename":"Bradford","suffix":null,"token":"4721c982d15f6352"},"token":"fZQScK4-AN5zBweJ"},{"candidatename":"Krystin Moore McPhail","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Krystin Moore Mcphail is a registered voter in Sampson County, North Carolina, registered since 2012 (14 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Krystin Moore Mcphail'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 [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 8 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 Krystin Moore Mcphail 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":"Krystin","lastname":"Mcphail","middlename":"Moore","suffix":null,"token":"e4e83cf3d23e596d"},"token":"Ns1KJRqMupdYrZxa"},{"candidatename":"Carol A. Worley","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Carol Ann Williams Worley is a registered voter in Sampson County, North Carolina, registered since 1997 (29 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Carol Ann Williams Worley's year of birth as 1969; 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 Carol Ann Williams Worley 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":"Carol Ann","lastname":"Worley","middlename":"Williams","suffix":null,"token":"a7e1549e44b2c33f"},"token":"Lnas3cWUtWeHGOAm"},{"candidatename":"Patrick D. Cooper","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Patrick Dwayne Cooper is a registered voter in Sampson County, North Carolina, registered since 1992 (34 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Patrick Dwayne Cooper's year of birth as 1971; 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 9 elections voted in since 2018, 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 Patrick Dwayne Cooper 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":"Patrick","lastname":"Cooper","middlename":"Dwayne","suffix":null,"token":"c29fb4b96d65adc1"},"token":"0Sbnq8ean6dzapl7"},{"candidatename":"James Jones","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJames Alton Jones II, of Harrells, was sworn into the Sampson County Schools Board of Education in late June 2026 and began his official duties on July 1, 2026, alongside newly elected members Michael Elmore and Krystin Moore McPhail [2].\n\nSampson Independent's March 3, 2026 primary-night election coverage described Jones among the non-advancing candidates in this multi-seat race, naming only Elmore and McPhail as newcomer winners alongside incumbent Daryll Warren [3]. The outlet's later, first-hand report of the June swearing-in \u2014 with direct quotes from each new member \u2014 identifies Jones as one of three newly elected board members seated that day [2]. The two reports conflict on this point; the swearing-in account is the more direct evidence of the actual outcome.\n\n## Career\nJones has worked for many years as a school resource officer [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Candidate List Grouped by Contest \u2013 Sampson County Board of Elections / NC State Board of Elections](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/2026_primary_candidate_list_by_contest.pdf)\n[2] [A changing of the guard \u2013 Sampson Independent](https://www.clintonnc.com/news/140585/a-changing-of-the-guard) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-19\n[3] [Grady makes clerk history \u2013 Sampson Independent](https://www.clintonnc.com/news/breaking-news/112367/grady-makes-clerk-history) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-19","firstname":"James","lastname":"Jones","middlename":"Alton","suffix":"II","token":"ad94ddf928e7f6da"},"token":"HFld-C1eH6rN7VWf"},{"candidatename":"Mikasa Melvin","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"**Mikasa Alberto Melvin did not win a seat on the Sampson County Schools Board of Education in the March 3, 2026 nonpartisan election. Local news named her among the defeated candidates in this multi-seat race, whose available seats went to Daryll Warren (re-elected), and newcomers Michael Elmore, Krystin Moore McPhail, and James Jones, who were sworn in July 1, 2026; exact vote totals for Melvin were not published by the outlet [3][4].**\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, Mikasa Alberto Melvin is a registered voter in Sampson County, North Carolina, registered since 1997 (29 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Mikasa Alberto Melvin's year of birth as 1977; 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 4 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 Mikasa Alberto Melvin 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] [Grady makes clerk history \u2013 Sampson Independent](https://www.clintonnc.com/news/breaking-news/112367/grady-makes-clerk-history)\n\n[4] [A changing of the guard \u2013 Sampson Independent](https://www.clintonnc.com/news/140585/a-changing-of-the-guard)","firstname":"Mikasa","lastname":"Melvin","middlename":"Alberto","suffix":null,"token":"34275094114ade18"},"token":"qp4bX72cuJZ1QPvu"},{"candidatename":"Clark E. Hales","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Clark E Hales is a registered voter in Sampson County, North Carolina, registered since 2018 (8 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Clark E Hales's year of birth as 1982; 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 9 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 Clark E Hales 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":"Clark","lastname":"Hales","middlename":"E","suffix":null,"token":"fbae07a24cdb4379"},"token":"dvSblBY7BzI_5d8E"}],"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":0,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Sampson County Schools Board Of Education"}