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Tony Anthony Burnette
Office history
Current office and 2026 campaign
Tony Anthony Burnette is a candidate for Northampton County Sheriff. He has previously run for the same office in 2002 and 2022.
Background and education
Burnette graduated from Southeast Halifax High School in 1983. He earned his Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) certification from Halifax Community College.
Career
From 1987 to 1994 Burnette served in the United States Navy as an Aviation Ordinanceman and is a Gulf War veteran. After military service he pursued a law enforcement career spanning 25 years in both Virginia and Northampton County, NC. He rose to Chief of Police in the towns of Seaboard and Rich Square and served as commander of the Northampton County Sheriff's Office narcotics task force. From 2003 to 2011 he managed a Lowe's distribution center and from 2008 to 2011 owned and operated Burnette's Restaurant.
In 2015 Burnette was elected president of the Northampton County branch of the NAACP and later became director of the Eleventh District of the NAACP. Through that role he led efforts to pave dirt roads throughout the county, created a scholarship fund for college-bound students, launched Operation Restore Hope to help people with criminal records find employment, organized voter mobilization events, and worked to raise awareness about missing and murdered residents.
Sources
Public filings
Candidates and officeholders are required by law to file campaign finance reports and statements of economic interest. The sites below don't support direct links to an individual record — search by last name on each.
North Carolina — campaign finance
- State, county, and municipal candidates — all in one system — NC State Board of Elections — Committee Search. Search by last name “Burnette”.
North Carolina — statement of economic interest
- Required for state-elected and many local officials — NC State Ethics Commission — Statement of Economic Interest Search. Search by last name “Burnette”.