{"biography":"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.\n\nPenland 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\u2011Anderson 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].\n\nHis public\u2011service career began in 1990 when he joined the Swannanoa Volunteer Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter. He was elected to the fire department\u2019s board of directors in 1992, serving as treasurer until he became a full\u2011time 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\u2011service 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\u2019s Association (past president). Penland also coached youth sports for 28 years, mentoring children in football, baseball, and basketball at Charles D. Owen Park [16].\n\nPolitically, Penland first ran for elected office in 2022, seeking the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners seat for District\u202f1. He appeared on the November 8, 2022 general\u2011election 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].\n\nPenland\u2019s 2026 campaign is organized through the website www.chiefpenland.com (accessed via a Vote\u2011USA listing) and lists his contact information as 23 Sunset Dr, Swannanoa, NC\u202f28778, phone (828)\u202f230\u20110297, and email Info@ChiefPenland.com [10][1]. He also provides an alternative email address, anthonyjpenland@gmail.com, 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.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Anthony Penland - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Anthony_Penland)\n- [2] [Anthony Penland (Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Anthony_Penland_(Buncombe_County_Board_of_Commissioners_District_1,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022))\n- [10] [Vote-USA | Anthony Penland | Candidate for State Representative District 115, North Carolina | November 3, 2026 North Carolina General Election](https://vote-usa.org/Intro.aspx?State=NC&Id=NCPenlandAnthony)\n- [12] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [13] [Anthony Penland | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectAnthonyPenland/)\n- [14] [Anthony Penland \u2013 Mountain Xpress](https://mountainx.com/tag/anthony-penland/)\n- [16] [Buncombe GOP nominates Anthony Penland to fill Buncombe board seat \u2013 Mountain Xpress](https://mountainx.com/blogwire/buncombe-gop-nominates-anthony-penland-to-fill-buncombe-board-seat/)\n- [17] [Anthony Penland | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/anthony-penland)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_115","county":"buncombe","county_count":6,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 115"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Anthony","fullname":"Anthony Jerome Penland","lastname":"Penland","middlename":"Jerome","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_115","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 115","county":"buncombe","county_count":6,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_house_115","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 115","county":"buncombe","county_count":6,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Anthony Penland is the Republican candidate for North Carolina House District\u202f115 in 2026, with a long career in fire service and local politics.","terms":[],"token":"bf8b04875f5307c2"}