Alissa Meredith Redmond

Alissa Meredith Redmond is a Democratic candidate for the Rowan County Board of Commissioners in North Carolina, seeking election in the November 3, 2026 general election. The Board of Commissioners serves as the county’s governing body, responsible for setting policy, approving the annual budget, overseeing land‑use decisions, and managing essential services such as public safety, health, and infrastructure ¹.

Redmond was born on December 10, 1979, in Wilmington, North Carolina. She attended the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2003, and completed a master’s in public policy at Duke University in 2007 ¹. Her professional career began in the U.S. Department of State, where she served as a diplomat in India, Afghanistan, Washington, D.C., Hong Kong, and Bolivia. After leaving the Foreign Service, she worked in the City of New Orleans’ Mayor’s Office for Health Policy following Hurricane Katrina and volunteered with the Peace Corps teaching English in Fiji ¹¹⁰.

In December 2019, Redmond purchased South Main Book Company, an independent bookstore in Salisbury, after evacuating from La Paz, Bolivia with her young daughter. The store quickly became a community hub, remaining open throughout the COVID‑19 pandemic as an essential provider of educational materials. Redmond has contributed thousands of books to Little Free Libraries across Rowan County, organized a mobile “book‑truck” to distribute children’s books at community events, and donated over 500 books during the pandemic ⁸¹⁰. She also serves on the board of the Rowan County Literacy Council and volunteers as a librarian at Southeast Middle School, while participating in Communities in Schools of Rowan County, which supports at‑risk students ⁸.

Redmond’s campaign slogan, “Redmond 4 Rowan,” emphasizes three core priorities: ensuring safe, well‑maintained school facilities; fostering economic development along the I‑85 corridor by leveraging her diplomatic experience to attract investment; and expanding literacy and educational opportunities for all residents. She advocates for recruiting and retaining high‑quality educators in the Rowan‑Salisbury School System and for policies that support small‑business owners who contribute locally rather than to distant corporate headquarters ¹⁸.

In the 2024 election cycle, Redmond appeared on the ballot for the two‑seat Rowan County Board of Commissioners alongside Republican Mike Caskey, Republican Craig Pierce, and We‑the‑People Party candidate Mark Ortiz. Although she was not an incumbent, she completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey, providing personal and professional details and outlining her platform ¹. While official endorsements for the 2024 race were not listed on Ballotpedia, local media outlets such as the Salisbury Post highlighted her community impact and endorsed her candidacy, noting her role as a “force for positive change” in Salisbury and her commitment to literacy and economic growth ⁸.

If elected in 2026, Redmond intends to draw on her international diplomatic background, public‑policy education, and small‑business experience to guide Rowan County toward safe schools, robust local economies, and a culture of reading and lifelong learning.

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