{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTerry Michael Bennett is the incumbent mayor of Rural Hall, North Carolina, serving a term that runs 2023-2026, and is the Republican candidate for re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election [1].\n\n> **Editorial note -- same-name confusion.** A 2018 obituary exists online for a different man, Terry Lee Bennett, who died in December 2018. That person is not the mayor of Rural Hall. Terry Michael Bennett is a sitting, living municipal official who has remained active in town governance through 2026 [2][3][4].\n\n## Career\nAs mayor, Bennett has been the central figure in Rural Hall's multi-year debate over a proposed data center on Glade Street. In 2024, he convened a town-hall meeting after more than 100 residents objected to the project, pledging to keep residents informed about its environmental and traffic impact [2]. The town council initially opposed the project, but in June 2026 it reversed course and passed a resolution supporting it, after the developer committed in writing that Rural Hall could annex the site and collect its tax revenue if the project moves forward [3][4]. Bennett has also promoted business development in the town, including presiding over a 2024 ribbon-cutting for a new Love's Travel Stop that included a $5,000 donation to Rural Hall Elementary School [5].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Municipal Elected Officials Guide (2025) -- Forsyth County Board of Elections](https://forsyth.cc/elections/assets/documents/2025_municipal_officials_guide.pdf) -- accessed 2026-07-19\n\n[2] [Over 100 frustrated residents attend Rural Hall community meeting on data center proposal -- ABC45](https://abc45.com/news/local/hundreds-of-upset-residents-attend-rural-hall-community-meeting-on-data-center-proposal) -- accessed 2026-07-19\n\n[3] [Rural Hall drops opposition to proposed data center -- 88.5 WFDD](https://www.wfdd.org/politics-government/2026-06-23/rural-hall-drops-opposition-to-proposed-data-center) -- accessed 2026-07-19\n\n[4] [Rural Hall town leaders reverse course on data center, pass resolution in support -- FOX8 WGHP](https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/forsyth/rural-hall-town-leaders-convene-for-data-center-discussion-residents-return-to-voice-opposition/) -- accessed 2026-07-19\n\n[5] [Town of Rural Hall -- Instagram, ribbon-cutting for Love's Travel Stop](https://www.instagram.com/p/C8YC2RlgFuY/?locale=ko&hl=en) -- accessed 2026-07-19","campaigns":[{"contest":"rural_hall_town_mayor","county":"forsyth","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Town Of Rural Hall Mayor"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Terry","fullname":"Terry Michael Bennett","lastname":"Bennett","middlename":"Michael","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"rural_hall_town_mayor","contest_title":"Town Of Rural Hall Mayor","county":"forsyth","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"forsyth","office_key":"town_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"forsyth","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"rural_hall_town_mayor","contest_title":"Town Of Rural Hall Mayor","county":"forsyth","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"forsyth","office_key":"town_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"town_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Incumbent Rural Hall Mayor Terry Michael Bennett is the Republican candidate for re\u2011election in 2026, emphasizing community engagement and responsible development.","terms":[],"token":"4773929beabf510a"}