{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nChristopher Allen Sutton, known publicly as Chris Sutton, is a candidate for the New Hanover County Board of Education, seeking one of four at-large seats in 2026. He advanced in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026, receiving 7,069 votes (19.18 percent). He previously ran for the same board in the 2022 primary but did not advance. He lives in Wilmington, North Carolina.\n\nSutton's platform centers on transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility. He supports updating public records policies, advocates for elected board oversight of curriculum, and opposes diverting traditional public school funding to voucher programs.\n\n## Career\nSutton works as a maintenance technician. He has been actively engaged with New Hanover County Schools for more than seven years, attending board meetings and serving on the NHCS Family Advisory Council. He successfully advocated for the installation of LifeVac airway clearance devices in schools, and has served as a parent and victim advocate in cases involving Title IX violations and assault within the district.\n\nHe serves on the NHCS Family Advisory Council and his son's elementary school PTA.\n\n## Family\nSutton is a parent; his son attends an elementary school in New Hanover County.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Primary 2026: New Hanover County Board of Education primary candidate Chris Sutton \u2013 WHQR](https://www.whqr.org/2026-01-30/primary-2026-new-hanover-county-board-of-education-primary-candidate-chris-sutton)\n- [2] [Chris Sutton for School Board \u2013 suttonforschoolboard.com](https://suttonforschoolboard.com/)\n- [3] [Four candidates named unofficial winners in New Hanover Co. Republican school board primary \u2013 WECT](https://www.wect.com/2026/03/03/three-incumbents-two-challengers-square-off-new-hanover-co-board-education-republican-primary/)\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education"},{"contest":"county_school_board","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Christopher","fullname":"Christopher Allen Sutton","lastname":"Sutton","middlename":"Allen","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board","contest_title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"new_hanover","office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"county_school_board","contest_title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"new_hanover","office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"new_hanover","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_school_board","contest_title":"New Hanover County Board Of Education","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"new_hanover","office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Chris Sutton is a candidate for the New Hanover County Board of Education in North Carolina's 2026 election.","terms":[],"token":"a64d7d426f6d6438"}