Anthony Jerome Penland

Anthony Jerome Penland is the Republican candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 115, on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot ¹. A state representative in the General Assembly is responsible for introducing and voting on legislation, serving on committees, and representing the interests of constituents in the district.

Penland is a lifelong resident of the Swannanoa community in Buncombe County. He attended Swannanoa Elementary School and graduated from Charles D. Owen High School in 1986. After high school he pursued studies in accounting, business administration, and history at Montreat‑Anderson College and the University of North Carolina at Asheville ¹⁶. He later earned an Associate Degree in Fire Protection Technology from AB Tech and a Bachelor of Science in Fire and Emergency Service Administration from Fayetteville State University, followed by a Chief Fire Officer designation from the Center of Public Safety Excellence ¹⁶.

His public‑service career began in 1990 when he joined the Swannanoa Volunteer Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter. He was elected to the fire department’s board of directors in 1992, serving as treasurer until he became a full‑time firefighter in 1995. In 2001 Penland was appointed fire chief, a role that gave him more than 20 years of budgeting experience for a nonprofit corporation and a total of three decades of public‑service involvement ¹⁶. He has held leadership positions with the Western North Carolina Association of Firefighters (secretary), the North Carolina State Firefighters Association (past president and legislative committee chair), and the Buncombe County Fire Chief’s Association (past president). Penland also coached youth sports for 28 years, mentoring children in football, baseball, and basketball at Charles D. Owen Park ¹⁶.

Politically, Penland first ran for elected office in 2022, seeking the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners seat for District 1. He appeared on the November 8, 2022 general‑election ballot as the Republican nominee, ultimately losing to Democrat Al Whitesides ². Following that campaign, the Buncombe County Republican Party nominated him to fill the unexpired term of Commissioner Mike Fryar on the county board, further extending his experience in local governance ¹⁶.

Penland’s 2026 campaign is organized through the website www.chiefpenland.com (accessed via a Vote‑USA listing) and lists his contact information as 23 Sunset Dr, Swannanoa, NC 28778, phone (828) 230‑0297, and email [email protected] ¹⁰¹. He also provides an alternative email address, [email protected], on his 2022 Ballotpedia profile ². While specific policy positions have not been published in the sources consulted, his background in fire safety, budgeting, and community service suggests a focus on public safety, fiscal responsibility, and local issues.

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