[{"bio_snippet":"Current office and 2026 campaign John \"Beau\" David Blair Jr. ran as a Democrat in the 2026 primary for North Carolina's 6th Congressional District. He lost the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary to Cyril Jefferson. Background and education Blair is from Salisbury, North Carolina. H","biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJohn \"Beau\" David Blair Jr. ran as a Democrat in the 2026 primary for North Carolina's 6th Congressional District. He lost the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary to Cyril Jefferson.\n\n## Background and education\n\nBlair is from Salisbury, North Carolina. He graduated from Blue Ridge School.\n\n## Career\n\nBlair's career experience includes work in sales.\n\n## Family\n\nBlair is married; his wife is a naturalized U.S. citizen. After spending time in Raleigh, they returned to Salisbury to raise their two children.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Home | Beau Blair For US Congress](https://www.beaublaircongress.com/)","birthdate":null,"firstname":"John","fullname":"John David Blair JR","lastname":"Blair","middlename":"David","suffix":"JR","summary":null,"token":"96c8a0125d10f672"},{"bio_snippet":"Keri Blair is a public person who graduated from Collierville High School in 1998 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Health Education from Union University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree from the University of West Alabama. Ms. Blair has worked as a community liaison for the American Cancer Society and is currently an Access Reimbursement Manager at Bristol Myers Squibb. She is also involved in her community, attends Grace Valley Church, and enjoys spending time with her family. She is currently serving as a member of the Collierville School Board Position 4, with her term starting in 2022 and ending in 2026. Overall, the profile provides substantive information about her education, work history, community involvement, and current role as an elected official.","biography":"**Keri Blair** is a 1998 graduate of Collierville High School, having relocated to Collierville from Louisville, Kentucky with her family in 1996. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Health Education from Union University, and she is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree from the University of West Alabama.  \n\nFollowing her graduation from Union University in 2001, Ms. Blair accepted a job with the American Cancer Society as a community liaison. In 2004, she began her career in the pharmaceutical industry and is currently an Access Reimbursement Manager at Bristol Myers Squibb. \n\nKeri and her husband, Brad, have one daughter who attends Collierville Elementary and participates in competitive dance at Studio 413 in Collierville. The Blairs attend Grace Valley Church in Collierville. In addition to being a wife and mother, while simultaneously working full-time, Ms. Blair enjoys exercising, serving at her church, and spending as much time as possible with her family.","birthdate":null,"firstname":"Keri","fullname":"Keri Blair","lastname":"Blair","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":"Keri Blair is a public person who graduated from Collierville High School in 1998 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Health Education from Union University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree from the University of West Alabama. Ms. Blair has worked as a community liaison for the American Cancer Society and is currently an Access Reimbursement Manager at Bristol Myers Squibb. She is also involved in her community, attends Grace Valley Church, and enjoys spending time with her family. She is currently serving as a member of the Collierville School Board Position 4, with her term starting in 2022 and ending in 2026. Overall, the profile provides substantive information about her education, work history, community involvement, and current role as an elected official.","token":"5Emlmd7T5R"},{"bio_snippet":"Jerry Blake is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District 111 in the 2026 general election.","biography":"Jerry Blake is the Democratic Party candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 111, in the 2026 general election scheduled for November 3, 2026. The Democratic primary that would have been held on March 3, 2026, was canceled, allowing Blake to advance to the general ballot without appearing on a primary ballot, where he will face incumbent Republican Paul Scott [1].\n\nThe North Carolina House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the state legislature, composed of 120 members who serve two\u2011year terms. Representatives are responsible for introducing and voting on state legislation, shaping the state budget, and providing oversight of state agencies, while representing the interests of the residents of their respective districts [1]. District 111 is one of the legislative districts defined by the state for the purpose of electing a House member; its precise geographic boundaries are set by the state legislature and encompass a portion of the state\u2019s population [1].\n\nPublicly available sources do not provide details about Blake\u2019s education, professional background, or prior public service. Consequently, his career history and qualifications beyond his candidacy are not documented in the referenced material.\n\nBlake\u2019s campaign information on the Ballotpedia page indicates that he has not yet completed the Candidate Connection survey, and no campaign finance data, endorsements, or policy platforms have been posted as of the time of writing. The incumbent, Paul Scott, is listed with a photograph, but no image of Blake is available in the source material. Blake\u2019s name appears on the official candidate list for the general election, confirming his status as a qualified candidate for the upcoming race [1].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Jerry Blake - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jerry_Blake)\n- [11] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [17] [Jerry Black in North Carolina - NC | 60 Records Available - YellowBook](https://www.yellowbook.com/people/jerry-black/north-carolina/)","birthdate":null,"firstname":"Jerry","fullname":"Jerry Lee Blake","lastname":"Blake","middlename":"Lee","suffix":null,"summary":"Jerry Blake is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District 111 in the 2026 general election.","token":"cee70f2e3ff65f1e"},{"bio_snippet":"Republican Bradley County commissioner for District 3, Seat A; Army veteran, three-term incumbent and chair of the Finance & Budget Committee.","biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMilan M. Blake is the Republican Bradley County commissioner for District 3, Seat A, and ran for re-election in 2026 [1][2]. He won the May 5, 2026, Republican primary, defeating Tommy \"Big Tom\" Anderson [1][2].\n\n## Background\nBlake is a U.S. Army veteran [1].\n\n## Office history\nBlake has served three terms as a Bradley County commissioner and is chairman of the commission's Finance & Budget Committee [1]. He says his priorities include investing in schools, maintaining safe roads and infrastructure, encouraging smart development, and protecting tax dollars [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [DECISION 2026: Winners in Bradley County's Primary Election - Local 3 News](https://www.local3news.com/local-news/decision/decision-2026-winners-in-bradley-county-s-primary-election/article_00a9cd38-1b5c-4c9b-976b-200c8e8b0b8c.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Bradley County's candidates for the May 5 Primary - Mix 104.1 WCLE](https://mymix1041.com/blog/2026/02/20/bradley-county-s-candidates-for-the-may-5-primary) - accessed 2026-07-23","birthdate":null,"firstname":"MILAN","fullname":"MILAN M. BLAKE","lastname":"BLAKE","middlename":"M.","suffix":null,"summary":"Republican Bradley County commissioner for District 3, Seat A; Army veteran, three-term incumbent and chair of the Finance & Budget Committee.","token":"SsqYxmzQjY"},{"bio_snippet":"Per the NC voter file: DEM voter in Henderson County since 2018.","biography":"According to the North Carolina voter file, Preston Kelly Blakely is a registered voter in Henderson County, North Carolina, registered since 2018 (8 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Preston Kelly Blakely's year of birth as 1994; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 14 elections voted in since 2016, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records. No additional published biographical information was located. Voters with personal knowledge of Preston Kelly Blakely can reach ballotproject.org with corrections or additions.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 Voter Search](https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[2] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (`ncvhis_Statewide`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/)","birthdate":null,"firstname":"Preston","fullname":"Preston Kelly Blakely","lastname":"Blakely","middlename":"Kelly","suffix":null,"summary":"Per the NC voter file: DEM voter in Henderson County since 2018.","token":"c95f3c4464bdd1a0"},{"bio_snippet":"","biography":null,"birthdate":null,"firstname":"PATTY","fullname":"PATTY BLALOCK-PARSONS","lastname":"BLALOCK-PARSONS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":null,"token":"k0jTtKp5Io"},{"bio_snippet":"Unopposed Republican winner for Blount County Commission District 9, Seat B, succeeding retiring incumbent Steve Mikels.","biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJonathan \"Chip\" Blankenship filed a campaign treasurer form on October 27, 2025, and ran unopposed for Blount County Commission District 9, Seat B, succeeding retiring incumbent Steve Mikels [1][2]. No Democrat or independent qualified for the seat, so Blankenship is set to take office in September 2026 [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [County Commission gets younger after primary election](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/county-commission-gets-younger-after-primary-election/article_11996870-3dd9-40e8-9cac-76fc68bc0ca9.html), The Daily Times\n[2] [Commissioners](https://www.blounttn.gov/835/Commissioners), Blount County, TN, accessed 2026-07-06","birthdate":null,"firstname":"Chip","fullname":"Chip Blankenship","lastname":"Blankenship","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":"Unopposed Republican winner for Blount County Commission District 9, Seat B, succeeding retiring incumbent Steve Mikels.","token":"bOaINDUsJM"},{"bio_snippet":"","biography":null,"birthdate":null,"firstname":"JOHN","fullname":"JOHN BLANKENSHIP","lastname":"BLANKENSHIP","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":null,"token":"DL3eAN97GI"},{"bio_snippet":"Current office and 2026 campaign Johnny \"JB\" Blankenship is the Republican candidate for Circuit Court Clerk of Carter County, Tennessee, in the August 6, 2026 general election. He currently serves as the county's Circuit Court Clerk, per Carter County's own directory of elected ","biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJohnny \"JB\" Blankenship is the Republican candidate for Circuit Court Clerk of Carter County, Tennessee, in the August 6, 2026 general election. He currently serves as the county's Circuit Court Clerk, per Carter County's own directory of elected officials [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] Carter County, Tennessee government website, Circuit Court Clerk page: https://www.cartercountytn.gov/government/elected_officials/circuit_court_clerk.php","birthdate":null,"firstname":"JOHNNY","fullname":"JOHNNY \"JB\" BLANKENSHIP","lastname":"BLANKENSHIP","middlename":"\"JB\"","suffix":null,"summary":null,"token":"mIzUTjMEE3"},{"bio_snippet":"Memphis media-business owner and independent candidate for Tennessee's 8th District in 2026; previously ran for the 9th District in 2024, losing to Steve Cohen.","biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nWendell Wells Blankenship, who also goes by \"Wells,\" is an independent candidate on Tennessee's certified 2026 candidate list for the redrawn 8th Congressional District, alongside fellow independents Adam D. Austill and Pamela Jeanine \"P.\" Moses, Republican incumbent David Kustoff, and several Democrats [1][2]. He previously ran as an independent candidate for Tennessee's 9th Congressional District in the 2024 general election, held November 5, 2024, receiving 3,708 votes; incumbent Democrat Steve Cohen won reelection, defeating Blankenship (listed on the official ballot as \"Wendell Wells\"), Republican Charlotte Bergmann, and independent Dennis Clark [3][4].\n\n## Background and education\nBlankenship grew up in a business family in Knoxville, Tennessee, and graduated from the Webb School of Knoxville in 1979, according to his company's website [5].\n\n## Career\nBlankenship describes his career as spanning real estate, insurance, trading, residential property management, and commercial fishing in the Bering Sea [5]. He owns Big American Media, a Memphis-based firm offering web design, photography and video production, and advertising services [5]. In his 2024 congressional campaign, Blankenship's platform centered on a proposed \"Confidence Amendment\" to the U.S. Constitution that would limit members of Congress to six years of service, bar campaign funds and salaries for family members, and require members to place investments in a blind trust while in office [4].\n\n## Family\nBlankenship has described himself as a single custodial parent [5].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Tennessee's redrawn congressional districts: A full guide to every candidate running in 2026 - NewsChannel 5](https://www.newschannel5.com/news/tennessees-redrawn-congressional-districts-a-full-guide-to-every-candidate-running-in-2026) - accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [Who's running where? Tennessee posts candidate list for redrawn congressional districts - WSMV](https://www.wsmv.com/2026/05/17/whos-running-where-tennessee-posts-candidate-list-redrawn-congressional-districts/) - accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [Tennessee's 9th Congressional District election, 2024 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee's_9th_Congressional_District_election,_2024) - accessed 2026-07-06\n[4] [WELLS, WENDELL - Candidate overview - FEC.gov](https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H4TN09121/) - accessed 2026-07-06\n[5] [About - Big American Media](http://bigamericanmedia.com/about/) - accessed 2026-07-06 (candidate's own company site; background is self-described)","birthdate":null,"firstname":"Wendell","fullname":"Wendell \"Wells\" Blankenship","lastname":"Blankenship","middlename":"\"Wells\"","suffix":null,"summary":"Memphis media-business owner and independent candidate for Tennessee's 8th District in 2026; previously ran for the 9th District in 2024, losing to Steve Cohen.","token":"XEvGOhdPTI"},{"bio_snippet":"Wendell \"Wells\" Blankenship is an independent candidate running for U.S. House in Tennessee's 8th District in 2026, having previously run as an independent in the 9th District in 2022 and 2024.","biography":"Wendell \"Wells\" Blankenship is an independent candidate running for U.S. House in Tennessee's newly configured 8th Congressional District in the 2026 election [35]. The new district boundaries, approved by the state legislature and signed by Governor Bill Lee, split Memphis and Shelby County among the 5th, 8th, and 9th districts, dispersing voters into areas that lean Republican [35]. Blankenship qualified for the ballot in this race alongside other independent candidates including Adam Austill, Antonio Futch, Pamela Jeanine \"P.\" Moses, Horace Taylor, and Henry J. Ward III [37]. He previously ran as an independent candidate for U.S. House in Tennessee's 9th Congressional District in 2024, where he received 1.7% of the vote (3,708 votes) against incumbent Steve Cohen [1]. In that race, Blankenship completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, stating that the core responsibility of elected officials is to represent voters [25]. He also ran for U.S. House in Tennessee's 9th District in 2022 as an independent, finishing third behind incumbent Steve Cohen and Republican challenger Charlotte Bergmann [18]. Local reporting notes that Blankenship did not have a campaign website during the 2024 cycle [25].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [Wendell Wells - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Wells)\n[2] [Wendell, North Carolina - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell,_North_Carolina)\n[3] [Wendell, Idaho - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell,_Idaho)\n[4] [Wendell, Minnesota - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell,_Minnesota)\n[5] [Wendell Willard - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Willard)\n[6] [Wendell Walker - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Walker)\n[7] [Barry Wendell - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Barry_Wendell)\n[8] [Wendell Jones - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Jones)\n[9] [Wendell Champion - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Champion)\n[10] [Wendell Felder - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Felder)\n[11] [Susan Buchser-Lochocki - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Susan_Buchser-Lochocki)\n[12] [Endorsements by Wendell Walker - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Endorsements_by_Wendell_Walker)\n[13] [Wendell Ka'ehu'ae'a - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Ka%27ehu%27ae%27a)\n[14] [Wendell Manning - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Manning)\n[15] [Wendell Lee - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Lee)\n[16] [Wendell Tabb - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Tabb)\n[17] [Wendell Byrd - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Wendell_Byrd)\n[18] [Tennessee's 9th Congressional District - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee's_9th_Congressional_District)\n[19] [United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Tennessee,_2026)\n[20] [M. LaTroy A-Williams - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/M._LaTroy_A-Williams)\n[21] [United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee, 2024 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Tennessee,_2024)\n[22] [WELLS, WENDELL - Candidate overview - FEC.gov](https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H4TN09121/)\n[23] [Wendell Walker - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendell_Walker)\n[25] [What to know in U.S. House of Representatives race for District 8 and 9 | localmemphis.com](https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/politics/elections/what-to-know-in-us-house-of-representatives-race-for-district-8-election/522-87a7469d-1fd4-4374-932a-681428ca8c8c)\n[26] [Election 2024: Results for U.S. & Tennessee Senate & House races | localmemphis.com](https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/politics/elections/election-2024-us-west-tennessee-senate-house-races-results/522-23306a12-4182-4f8c-97ef-49793084d7de)\n[29] [Blankenship, Edward Louis (Dayton) - Chattanoogan.com](https://www.chattanoogan.com/2014/3/12/271627/Blankenship-Edward-Louis-Dayton.aspx)\n[34] [Tennessee's redrawn congressional districts: A full guide to every candidate running in 2026](https://www.newschannel5.com/news/tennessees-redrawn-congressional-districts-a-full-guide-to-every-candidate-running-in-2026)\n[35] [New district lines give West Tennessee politics a fresh shuffle | News | stategazette.com](https://www.stategazette.com/news/new-district-lines-give-west-tennessee-politics-a-fresh-shuffle/article_2ba92e97-de78-5819-b51b-785ef6263b22.html)\n[37] [State lawmakers pitted against each other in 9th | Tennessee | thecentersquare.com](https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_6e462b30-56b2-47d7-9784-ff2d9b8a8b38.html)\n[40] [Obituaries \u2013 McCreary Journal](https://www.mccrearyjournal.com/2014/08/08/obituaries-2/)","birthdate":null,"firstname":"Wendell \"Wells\"","fullname":"Wendell \"Wells\" Blankenship","lastname":"Blankenship","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":"Wendell \"Wells\" Blankenship is an independent candidate running for U.S. House in Tennessee's 8th District in 2026, having previously run as an independent in the 9th District in 2022 and 2024.","token":"xch1qsKdBt"},{"bio_snippet":"Danny Blanton, a Republican incumbent, is running for re\u2011election to the Cleveland County Board of Education, emphasizing teacher retention, school safety, and disciplined learning environments.","biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDanny Lee Blanton is a Republican member of the Cleveland County Board of Education, first elected in 2013, seeking re-election on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot [1][2].\n\n## Career\nBlanton traces his path to the board to a personal investigation into alleged financial mismanagement at Cleveland County Schools between 2009 and 2011; he says his findings exposed improper credit-card usage that led to tighter financial controls and personnel changes, and that this motivated his first run for the board, which he won in 2013 [2]. He has served three years on the Rutherford-Cleveland County Workforce Board and on the county's DSS Advisory Board, and currently sits on the county's Health and DSS Governing Board and the school board's own Safety and Operations Committee [2].\n\n## Office history\nThe Cleveland County Board of Education has nine at-large seats; Blanton has served continuously since his 2013 election and is listed as a sitting member on the district's current board roster [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nBlanton has emphasized career-technical education, teacher retention and school safety during his tenure, saying repeated staff turnover harms students: \"It's time for our school system to stop having resignations every month.\" He says school governance should stay non-partisan: \"It's about the children, not Democrat, Republican or Unaffiliated.\" [2]\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\nIn July 2022, Blanton drew public criticism after sharing a Facebook post showing a wooden paddle bearing the words \"Make Kids Great Again\" next to the American flag. A parent, Keri Miller, publicly objected, citing research on the harms of physical punishment on children and raising concern about a board member's judgment. Blanton said the post reflected his personal opinion rather than a policy proposal: \"That was my personal opinion. That was not me saying 'bring that thing back and we wear every kid out. No, absolutely no.'\" He said he believed corporal punishment had benefited him as a student. North Carolina law allows school districts to permit corporal punishment with parental notification, but Cleveland County Schools' own policy prohibits it \u2014 a distinction Blanton acknowledged knowing [3].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Board of Education - Cleveland County Schools](https://www.clevelandcountyschools.org/board-of-education) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-19\n[2] [Facing the voters: Danny Blanton \u2013 School Board](https://www.shelbyindependent.com/post/facing-the-voters-danny-blanton-school-board)\n[3] [\u2018My opinion:\u2019 Cleveland Co. School Board member defends Facebook post he shared displaying a paddle - WBTV](https://www.wbtv.com/2022/07/13/my-opinion-cleveland-co-school-board-member-defends-facebook-post-he-shared-displaying-paddle/)","birthdate":null,"firstname":"Danny","fullname":"Danny Lee Blanton","lastname":"Blanton","middlename":"Lee","suffix":null,"summary":"Danny Blanton, a Republican incumbent, is running for re\u2011election to the Cleveland County Board of Education, emphasizing teacher retention, school safety, and disciplined learning environments.","token":"7dbcbde078689db9"},{"bio_snippet":"John Blanton is a Republican incumbent representing Kentucky House District 92 since 2017; he is running for re-election in 2026 after advancing unopposed from the canceled primary.","biography":"> **Editorial note \u2014 same-name confusion.** An earlier version of this page described John Clifford Blanton, a Republican member of the Kentucky House of Representatives \u2014 a different person entirely. That biography has been removed. John Southey Blanton, who appears on the ballot as \"Southey Blanton,\" is the candidate profiled here.\n\n## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJohn Southey Blanton is a Democratic candidate for North Carolina Senate District 25 (Alamance and Randolph counties) in the November 3, 2026 general election, facing Republican incumbent Amy Scott Galey [1]. He filed his candidacy on December 19, 2025 [1]. His campaign describes him as a \"proud supporter of public schools\" [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] North Carolina State Board of Elections, 2026 candidate filing list (Candidate_Listing_2026.csv, dl.ncsbe.gov) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[2] [Southey Blanton for NC Senate](https://southey4senate.com) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20","birthdate":null,"firstname":"John","fullname":"John Southey Blanton","lastname":"Blanton","middlename":"Southey","suffix":null,"summary":"John Blanton is a Republican incumbent representing Kentucky House District 92 since 2017; he is running for re-election in 2026 after advancing unopposed from the canceled primary.","token":"6f3a6a0e78f89b1f"},{"bio_snippet":"","biography":null,"birthdate":null,"firstname":"Joseph","fullname":"Joseph Blanton","lastname":"Blanton","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":null,"token":"Dv0OK4Zn8A"},{"bio_snippet":"","biography":null,"birthdate":null,"firstname":"Lindsay","fullname":"Lindsay Blaze","lastname":"Blaze","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":null,"token":"xnt2HbKA1g"},{"bio_snippet":"","biography":null,"birthdate":null,"firstname":"GAYLA","fullname":"GAYLA BLAZER","lastname":"BLAZER","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":null,"token":"bwchWPFJNv"},{"bio_snippet":"Per the NC voter file: UNA voter in Wake County since 2016.","biography":"**Status: Bledsoe did not advance past the March 3, 2026 nonpartisan primary for Raleigh City Council At-Large, finishing fifth of six candidates with 12,632 votes; the top four vote-getters -- Stormie Forte (36,453), Sana Siddiqui (26,237), Clark Rinehart (13,502), and Joshua Bradley (13,221) -- advance to the November 3, 2026 general election [3].**\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, James Garland Bledsoe is a registered voter in Wake County, North Carolina, registered since 2016 (10 years), with party affiliation listed as Unaffiliated [1].\n\nThe voter file shows James Garland Bledsoe's year of birth as 1986; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 11 elections voted in since 2016, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records. No additional published biographical information was located. Voters with personal knowledge of James Garland Bledsoe can reach ballotproject.org with corrections or additions.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 Voter Search](https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[2] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (`ncvhis_Statewide`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/)\n\n[3] North Carolina State Board of Elections, official March 3, 2026 primary election results by precinct, published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip)","birthdate":null,"firstname":"James","fullname":"James Garland Bledsoe","lastname":"Bledsoe","middlename":"Garland","suffix":null,"summary":"Per the NC voter file: UNA voter in Wake County since 2016.","token":"f78b82cfea9714ee"},{"bio_snippet":"","biography":null,"birthdate":null,"firstname":"B.","fullname":"B. B. Blevins","lastname":"Blevins","middlename":"B.","suffix":null,"summary":null,"token":"n6VBqGJQvH"},{"bio_snippet":"","biography":null,"birthdate":null,"firstname":"Corey","fullname":"Corey Blevins","lastname":"Blevins","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":null,"token":"tiOIqDV1vX"},{"bio_snippet":"Incumbent independent Jefferson County commissioner for District 6, running for re-election; co-authored a 2024 op-ed opposing a county wheel-tax increase.","biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nRobert \"Rob\" Blevins III is the incumbent Jefferson County Commissioner for District 6, running for re-election as an independent candidate in the August 6, 2026 county general election, which fills two District 6 seats.[1][2]\n\n## Office history\nBlevins represents District 6 on the Jefferson County Commission.[2][3] In 2024, he co-authored a published op-ed with fellow commissioners opposing a proposed increase in the county wheel tax from $25 to $50, arguing that the measure had advanced without proper public notice on the meeting agenda and was unnecessary in light of recent property-tax increases.[4]\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Official Sample Ballot, Jefferson County TN, August 6, 2026](https://jeffersoncountytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/JCTN_August-6-2026-Sample-Ballot.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Jefferson County Commissions/Boards/Committees (April 2026)](https://jeffersoncountytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Alpha-Chart-April-2026.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [County Commissioner Robert Blevins III (UT County Technical Assistance Service)](https://www.ctas.tennessee.edu/official/robert-blevins-iii) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[4] [OP-ED By Commissioners Blevins, Reed and Brooks (The Jefferson County Post)](https://jeffersoncountypost.com/?p=61315) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23","birthdate":null,"firstname":"ROB","fullname":"ROB BLEVINS","lastname":"BLEVINS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"summary":"Incumbent independent Jefferson County commissioner for District 6, running for re-election; co-authored a 2024 op-ed opposing a county wheel-tax increase.","token":"hgDnuYrAoL"}]