Teresa Hollar Branch

Teresa Hollar Branch is a Republican candidate for the Caldwell County Board of Education in the 2026 general election (Nov 3, 2026) in Caldwell, NC. The County Board of Education is a seven‑member body that governs the Caldwell County Schools district; members serve four‑year terms and are elected at‑large, with elections officially nonpartisan but candidates often identified by party affiliation [6][8].

Branch has a long history of service to the district. She first won a seat on the at‑large school board in the 2010 election, serving a term that ended in 2012 [2]. After a brief hiatus, she was re‑elected in the 2014 general election, securing 20.8 % of the vote [2]. She continued to serve through subsequent elections, most recently appearing on the ballot in the 2022 general election for an at‑large seat [1][6]. According to the board roster, her current term runs through 2026, making her the incumbent in this race [6].

In addition to her elected roles, Branch has worked extensively in education administration. She is a former teacher, assistant principal, and principal, and she served as the director of Exceptional Children for the district [12]. In 2023 she took on the role of interim director of Caldwell County Smart Start, a program that expands pre‑K opportunities and partners with child‑care centers to increase early‑learning capacity [12]. Her professional focus has emphasized expanding early childhood education and supporting students from birth through the start of school.

Branch’s campaign filings list her email as branchnc@gmail.com (also shown as BRANCHNC@GMAIL.COM) [1][8]. No phone number or personal campaign website is provided in the available sources. While Ballotpedia does not include a portrait, the site lists only placeholder images for candidates, so a definitive candidate photo is not available.

Overall, Branch brings over a decade of board experience, a background in school leadership, and recent work directing early‑education initiatives to her candidacy for the 2026 Caldwell County Board of Education.

Sources

• [1] Teresa Branch (Caldwell County Schools school board At-large, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia
• [2] Teresa Branch - Ballotpedia
• [3] Teresa Branch (Caldwell County Board of Education, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia
• [4] Caldwell County, North Carolina, elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia
• [5] Caldwell County, North Carolina, elections, 2022 - Ballotpedia
• [6] Caldwell County Schools, North Carolina, elections - Ballotpedia
• [7] William Fore (Caldwell County Schools school board At-large, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia
• [8] Teresa Branch (Caldwell County Schools school board At-large, North Carolina, candidate 2026) - Ballotpedia
• [9] North Carolina elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia
• [10] Candidate Lists | NCSBE
• [11] Caldwell County Schools - Wikipedia
• [12] Teresa Branch takes reins as director of Caldwell County Smart Start [News-Topic, Lenoir, N.C.] - Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet