{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Chuck Owenby","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nChristopher Charles Owenby, known as Chuck Owenby, is the incumbent Sheriff of Transylvania County, North Carolina, seeking re-election in 2026 with no official opposition on the ballot. First elected sheriff in 2024, he emphasizes integrity, transparency, and accountability.\n\n## Background and education\nOwenby was born and raised in Transylvania County. He graduated from Brevard High School in 1994 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with a Criminal Justice concentration from Mars Hill University in 2000.\n\n## Career\nOwenby joined the Transylvania County Sheriff's Office in 2002 as a patrol officer. Over more than two decades he rose through every major rank, serving as patrol officer, School Resource Officer, Special Response Team member, Field Training Officer Coordinator, Sergeant on Patrol, Lieutenant of Professional Standards and Training, and Chief Deputy before being elected Sheriff in 2024.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Biography \u2013 Chuck Owenby for Sheriff](https://chuckowenbyforsheriff.com/biography/)\n- [2] [Sheriff Owenby faces no official opposition \u2013 Transylvania Times](https://www.transylvaniatimes.com/news/sheriff-owenby-faces-no-official-opposition/article_dd5fd18d-4e58-4778-bcf9-825f72380725.html)\n- [3] [Sheriff Chuck Owenby \u2013 North Carolina Sheriffs' Association](https://ncsheriffs.org/people/chuck-owenby)","firstname":"Christopher","lastname":"Owenby","middlename":"Charles","suffix":null,"token":"9dad4444c8464cbe"},"token":"teAR9W_aLfMXHDNu"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"sheriff","o.office":"county_sheriff","office":"county_sheriff","officedescription":"The sheriff is the county's chief law-enforcement officer. The office operates the county jail, provides court security, serves civil process and executes warrants, and provides patrol and investigation \u2014 a large operational command with a substantial budget.","officequalities":"- Organizational leadership of a sheriff's office spanning patrol, investigations, court services, and the county jail.\n- Oversight of the county jail, including intake, inmate health, and release procedures.\n- Working knowledge of Tennessee criminal law, court process, and constitutional search-and-seizure standards.\n- Ability to develop and oversee the office's operating budget with public accountability.\n- Coordination with municipal police departments and neighboring-county and state agencies.\n- A documented law-enforcement or public-safety background.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Sheriff","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Transylvania County Sheriff"}