{"biography":"Stephanie Tenery is a Democratic candidate for the McDowell County Board of Commissioners in the 2026 general election, scheduled for November 3, 2026. She appears on the McDowell County Democratic Party\u2019s roster of candidates alongside Terry English and Matt Suttles, indicating she is one of three Democrats seeking a seat on the county\u2019s governing board [11].\n\nTenery has lived in McDowell County for 47 years, making her a long\u2011time resident of the area. She and her husband, Dave, reside in the northeastern part of the county, between the communities of Grays Hollar and Black Bear. Her deep roots in the county are highlighted as part of her connection to local issues and community life [11].\n\nProfessionally, Tenery spent 18 years working for Lowe\u2019s Home Improvement, where she held management and sales positions before retiring in 2024. Following her retirement, she has continued to pursue creative work as a regional artist, a role that reflects her ongoing engagement with the cultural life of the region [11].\n\nBy running for the Board of Commissioners, Tenery aims to bring the perspective of a longtime resident, a former retail manager, and an active artist to county governance. The Democratic Party\u2019s candidate page presents her as part of a slate of individuals with varied backgrounds\u2014ranging from agriculture to health care\u2014to address the needs of McDowell County\u2019s residents [11].\n\nWhile specific policy positions are not detailed in the available source, Tenery\u2019s biography emphasizes her commitment to the community, her experience in both the private sector and the arts, and her desire to serve the county that has been her home for nearly five decades.\n\n## Sources\n- [9] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [11] [CANDIDATES \u2014 McDowell County Democratic Party](https://www.mcdems.com/candidates)","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission","county":"mcdowell","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Mcdowell County Board Of Commissioners"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Stephanie","fullname":"Stephanie Blahut Tenery","lastname":"Tenery","middlename":"Blahut","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission","contest_title":"Mcdowell County Board Of Commissioners","county":"mcdowell","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"mcdowell","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"mcdowell","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission","contest_title":"Mcdowell County Board Of Commissioners","county":"mcdowell","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"mcdowell","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":"Stephanie Tenery, a longtime McDowell County resident and former Lowe's manager, is running as a Democrat for the county Board of Commissioners in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"48d74dbe9d65780a"}