←All People
Tonya Denise Mcdaniel
Office history
Current office and 2026 campaign
Tonya D. McDaniel is the incumbent Democratic Forsyth County Commissioner for District A, first elected in 2018; her current term runs through December 2026 1. Four Democrats -- McDaniel, Kimberly Hinton-Robinson, Natasha Smith, and fellow incumbent commissioner Malishai "Mali" Woodbury -- ran in the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary for the district's two seats 3. McDaniel and Woodbury were the top two finishers and are the Democratic nominees on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot for District A, facing Republican Contessa Smith, per the NC State Board of Elections' official primary results and candidate filing records 23.
Background and education
McDaniel was raised in a military family with ties to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and is a Winston-Salem native. She earned a B.A. in political science with a minor in public administration from Winston-Salem State University and a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University in 2016 1. She is the godchild of the late Earline Parmon, a former Forsyth County commissioner and state legislator 1.
Career
As a commissioner, McDaniel has focused on equity in property-tax rates and county funding for schools within District A 1. She has served on the North Carolina State Health Coordinating Council after being appointed by Governor Roy Cooper, and on the National Association of Counties' Veterans & Military Services Committee and the Forsyth County Home & Community Block Grant Advisory Council 1. She holds leadership roles with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County NAACP chapter, the Forsyth County African American Caucus, and Zeta Phi Beta sorority 1.
Family
McDaniel has three children and three grandchildren 1.
Sources
Public filings
Candidates and officeholders are required by law to file campaign finance reports and statements of economic interest. The sites below don't support direct links to an individual record — search by last name on each.
North Carolina — campaign finance
- State, county, and municipal candidates — all in one system — NC State Board of Elections — Committee Search. Search by last name “Mcdaniel”.
North Carolina — statement of economic interest
- Required for state-elected and many local officials — NC State Ethics Commission — Statement of Economic Interest Search. Search by last name “Mcdaniel”.