{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJerry Andrews Smith Jr. is a former Hendersonville City Council member and Mayor Pro Tem running for Mayor of Hendersonville in the November 3, 2026 election [1]. He entered the race after Mayor Barbara Volk announced she would not seek re-election, alongside fellow candidate and former council member Jennifer Hensley [2]. Smith's campaign emphasizes continued investment in greenways, parks, and public amenities [2].\n\n## Background and education\n\nSmith moved to Henderson County in 2000 with his wife and has raised three children in Hendersonville [3]. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1990), a Master of Education from George Mason University (2000), and a Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law (1993), and was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1994 [3].\n\n## Career\n\nSmith taught World History, Civics, and several Advanced Placement courses at Hendersonville High School for 23 years, plus a year teaching English at East Henderson High School; he also coached multiple sports and led mock trial and Key Club programs, earning National Board Certification in 2007 [3]. He retired from Henderson County Public Schools in July 2024, then spent about a year as Executive Director of the North Carolina Mock Trial Program before returning to legal practice at the Derek Jones Law Office in June 2025 [3]. He is also an adjunct instructor in the Public Safety Department at Blue Ridge Community College [3].\n\n## Office history\n\nSmith was elected to the Hendersonville City Council in December 2009 and was re-elected three times, serving as Mayor Pro Tem from 2019 to 2021 [3]. He resigned from the council on October 9, 2023, citing the need to care for his family and aging parents [1]. Over nearly 14 years on council, he chaired the Apple Country Greenway Commission, which developed more than 2.6 miles of greenway trails, and council resolutions credit him with the Oklawaha Greenway Phase II and III, construction of Fire Station #2, downtown streetscape improvements, the new police station on Ashe Street, an automated water-metering system, and the Five-Party Agreement that created a health-sciences facility on Sixth Avenue West [4].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Jerry Smith resigns from Hendersonville City Council - Hendersonville Lightning](https://www.hendersonvillelightning.com/four-seasons-politics/13235-jerry-smith-resigns-from-city-council.html)\n[2] [FORMER HENDERSONVILLE CITY COUNCILMAN ANNOUNCES FOR MAYOR - WHKP 1450 Hendersonville, NC](https://www.whkp.com/news/former-hendersonville-city-councilman-announces-for-mayor)\n[3] [Meet Jerry | Jerry Smith](https://www.jerrysmithformayor.com/meet_jerry)\n[4] [Council thanks Smith for city achievements during his service on council - Hendersonville Lightning](https://www.hendersonvillelightning.com/four-seasons-politics/13239-council-thanks-for-city-achievements-during-his-14-years-of-council-service.html)","campaigns":[{"contest":"hendersonville_city_mayor","county":"henderson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"City Of Hendersonville Mayor"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Jerry","fullname":"Jerry Andrews Smith JR","lastname":"Smith","middlename":"Andrews","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"hendersonville_city_mayor","contest_title":"City Of Hendersonville Mayor","county":"henderson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"henderson","office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"henderson","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"hendersonville_city_mayor","contest_title":"City Of Hendersonville Mayor","county":"henderson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"henderson","office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"suffix":"JR","summary":"Jerry Smith, a former council member and mayor pro tem, is running for Hendersonville mayor in 2026, emphasizing greenways and municipal service improvements.","terms":[],"token":"1b7230aef7c5d900"}