{"biography":"Landon Scott Beaver is running as the Democratic candidate for the Yancey County Board of Commissioners in the 2026 election.  He is also the current Chair of the Yancey County Democratic Party, a role in which he works to foster community engagement and provide resources on local issues [12].\n\nThe Yancey County Board of Commissioners serves as the governing body for the county, making policy decisions that affect public services and budgeting.  For example, the commissioners voted in June 2024 to withdraw Yancey County from the AMY Regional Library System, a decision that sparked public controversy and increased local tax costs [11].\n\nBeaver\u2019s public record shows a focus on protecting library access and First Amendment rights.  In response to the 2024 withdrawal, he launched a GoFundMe campaign titled \u201cHelp Save Our Library\u2014Targeted After Helene,\u201d which raised awareness about the loss of regional library services and the replacement of experienced staff with less qualified personnel [11].  The campaign narrative details his efforts to hire legal counsel, consider a First Amendment lawsuit, and organize nonprofit entities aimed at defending public library services across multiple counties [11].\n\nAs Democratic Party Chair, Beaver emphasizes transparency, respect, and collaborative problem\u2011solving, urging residents of all backgrounds to participate in local governance and to voice their concerns on issues such as library funding, LGBTQ+ content policies, and disaster response resources [12].  His leadership on the party platform aligns with his advocacy on the library issue, indicating a broader commitment to maintaining community resources and civic participation.\n\nPublicly available sources do not provide details about Beaver\u2019s formal education or prior professional employment beyond his political and activist roles.  Nonetheless, his recent activities demonstrate experience in community organizing, legal strategy development, and party leadership\u2014qualifications he highlights as relevant to the responsibilities of a county commissioner.\n\n## Sources\n- [11] [Fundraiser by Landon Beaver : Help Save Our Library\u2014Targeted After Surviving Helene](https://www.gofundme.com/f/Save-yancey-library)\n- [12] [Leadership \u2014 Yancey County Democrats](https://www.yanceydemocrats.org/leadership)","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission","county":"yancey","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Yancey County Board Of Commissioners"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Landon","fullname":"Landon Scott Beaver","lastname":"Beaver","middlename":"Scott","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission","contest_title":"Yancey County Board Of Commissioners","county":"yancey","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"yancey","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"yancey","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission","contest_title":"Yancey County Board Of Commissioners","county":"yancey","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"yancey","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":"Landon Scott Beaver, Democratic chair of Yancey County Democrats, is running for the 2026 Yancey County Board of Commissioners, emphasizing library access and community engagement.","terms":[],"token":"7fda3755a0fa7fd0"}