{"biography":"Shelly Kates Headen is the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives District 62 in the 2026 general election on November 3, 2026 [1]. The office she seeks is a seat in the North Carolina House, the state\u2019s lower legislative chamber where members serve two\u2011year terms and represent specific districts [1].\n\nHeaden earned a high\u2011school diploma from Mountain Heritage High School and a bachelor\u2019s degree from Appalachian State University in 1991 [1]. She spent a decade working as a recruiter in the accounting field before becoming a small\u2011business owner in the construction industry. Her professional experience also includes owning a business, as noted on her Ballotpedia profile [1].\n\nBeyond her career, Headen has been deeply involved in her community in Guilford County. She co\u2011treasured her daughters\u2019 elementary school, tutored underprivileged children, coached a youth cheerleading team, and participated in local organizations such as the Oak Ridge Lion\u2019s Club, the League of Women Voters, and Guilford for All. She also supports scholarships for construction\u2011industry students through the Greensboro Builders Association [1].\n\nIn her campaign, Headen emphasizes fully funding public schools, arguing that North Carolina\u2019s historic leadership in education has been eroded by funding cuts. She pledges to raise teacher and staff wages and restore investment in the public\u2011school system [1][14][15][16]. She also advocates for affordable, accessible healthcare for families and small businesses, describing healthcare as a right rather than a privilege [1][14][15][16]. As a CPA and small\u2011business owner, she says she will bring fiscal responsibility to state budgeting and ensure taxpayer dollars are used wisely [14][15][16]. Endorsements for her campaign include Bull City Anna, the Center for Freethought Equality, and Work For Democracy [1].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Shelly Headen - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shelly_Headen)\n- [14] [Candidate Spotlight: Meet Shelly Headen for NC House ...](https://www.instagram.com/p/DUD9gT8kWck/)\n- [15] [Candidate Spotlight: Meet Shelly Headen for NC House. ...](https://www.facebook.com/nchousedems/posts/candidate-spotlight-meet-shelly-headen-for-nc-house-she-is-running-in-house-dist/1313355664170953/)\n- [16] [NC Democratic Party House Caucus on X: \"Candidate Spotlight: Meet @shelly_headen for NC House District 62 in Guilford County. Shelly will fight to fully fund our public schools because our teachers and children deserve better. She will work to make healthcare affordable and accessible for families and small businesses.\" / X](https://x.com/NCHouseDems/status/2016554101308305586)\n- [18] [Shelly Headen - North Carolina Candidate - Transparency USA](https://www.transparencyusa.org/nc/candidate/shelly-headen)\n- [19] [Donate to Shelly Headen](https://secure.actblue.com/donate/shellyheaden)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_062","county":"davidson","county_count":4,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 062"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Shelly","fullname":"Shelly Kates Headen","lastname":"Headen","middlename":"Kates","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_062","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 062","county":"davidson","county_count":4,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_house_062","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 062","county":"davidson","county_count":4,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Shelly Kates Headen is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District 62, focusing on public\u2011school funding, affordable healthcare, and fiscal responsibility.","terms":[],"token":"a9db860dd39e6b58"}