{"biography":"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\u2019s governing body, responsible for setting policy, approving the annual budget, overseeing land\u2011use decisions, and managing essential services such as public safety, health, and infrastructure [1].\n\nRedmond was born on December 10, 1979, in Wilmington, North Carolina. She attended the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, earned a bachelor\u2019s degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2003, and completed a master\u2019s 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\u2019 Mayor\u2019s Office for Health Policy following Hurricane Katrina and volunteered with the Peace Corps teaching English in Fiji [1][10].\n\nIn 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\u201119 pandemic as an essential provider of educational materials. Redmond has contributed thousands of books to Little Free Libraries across Rowan County, organized a mobile \u201cbook\u2011truck\u201d to distribute children\u2019s books at community events, and donated over 500 books during the pandemic [8][10]. 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\u2011risk students [8].\n\nRedmond\u2019s campaign slogan, \u201cRedmond\u202f4\u202fRowan,\u201d emphasizes three core priorities: ensuring safe, well\u2011maintained school facilities; fostering economic development along the I\u201185 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\u2011quality educators in the Rowan\u2011Salisbury School System and for policies that support small\u2011business owners who contribute locally rather than to distant corporate headquarters [1][8].\n\nIn the 2024 election cycle, Redmond appeared on the ballot for the two\u2011seat Rowan County Board of Commissioners alongside Republican Mike Caskey, Republican Craig Pierce, and We\u2011the\u2011People Party candidate Mark Ortiz. Although she was not an incumbent, she completed Ballotpedia\u2019s 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 \u201cforce for positive change\u201d in Salisbury and her commitment to literacy and economic growth [8].\n\nIf elected in 2026, Redmond intends to draw on her international diplomatic background, public\u2011policy education, and small\u2011business experience to guide Rowan County toward safe schools, robust local economies, and a culture of reading and lifelong learning.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Alissa Redmond (Rowan County Board of Commissioners, North Carolina, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Alissa_Redmond_(Rowan_County_Board_of_Commissioners,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2024))\n- [8] [My Turn: Robert Basinger: Alissa Redmond for Rowan County commissioner | Salisbury Post](https://www.salisburypost.com/2024/10/31/my-turn-robert-basinger-alissa-redmond-for-rowan-county-commissioner/)\n- [10] [Life & Work with Alissa Redmond - VoyageRaleigh Magazine | Raleigh's Most Inspiring Stories](https://voyageraleigh.com/?post_type=interview&p=99052)","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission","county":"rowan","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Rowan County Board Of Commissioners"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Alissa","fullname":"Alissa Meredith Redmond","lastname":"Redmond","middlename":"Meredith","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission","contest_title":"Rowan County Board Of Commissioners","county":"rowan","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"rowan","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"rowan","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission","contest_title":"Rowan County Board Of Commissioners","county":"rowan","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"rowan","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Alissa Redmond, a former diplomat and independent bookstore owner, is running as a Democrat for the Rowan County Board of Commissioners, emphasizing school safety, economic development, and literacy.","terms":[],"token":"299ccc5b6cbfd437"}