During the 2026 elections for McDowell County, Republicans again won in all the local races for the County Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education. And GOP candidates were leading in the state House and Senate races as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night.
But the local referendum to increase the sales tax was soundly rejected by the voters in McDowell County.
Board of Commissioners
Three seats on the McDowell County Board of Commissioners were up for election in 2026. The candidates for the three seats were Republicans Chris Allison, Tony Brown and David Walker and Democrats Terry English, Matt Suttles and Stephanie Tenery.
All three Republicans were elected to the Board of Commissioners. Allison, a former commissioner, will return to the board. He was the top vote-getter with 9,251 votes, or 21.42%.
"I am truly humbled and honored to have been the top vote-getter in the election for McDowell County commissioner," Allison said. "Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote, encouraged me, prayed for me, volunteered, shared our message, and stood alongside our campaign. Your support means more than words can express. It has been an honor to serve the people of McDowell County, and I am excited for the opportunity to get back to work for our people.
"My commitment remains the same: to serve all citizens with integrity, transparency, and accountability. I will continue listening, working with others, and doing my part to move McDowell County forward. I know there is work to do, and I look forward to getting started. Most importantly, I give God the glory for every opportunity and blessing. Thank you, McDowell County. Let's get to work."
Tony Brown, the incumbent chairman, came in second with 8,973 votes, or 20.78%.
"I just want to say I appreciate the confidence that the people had in me to reelect me to the office," Brown said Tuesday night. "I will work hard over the next four years, and I will specifically work as hard as I can over the next four years to try to bring property taxes down because I know that is very important to the taxpayers."
David Walker, who has served on the board longer than anyone, was elected to another term with 8,495 votes, or 19.67%.
"I have been blessed and very fortunate to be able to serve for a seventh term," Walker said Tuesday night.
"I look forward to helping every resident of McDowell County in any way possible. The goal is to serve the citizens, and that's why I run."
All three Democrats did not get enough votes to win a seat. They were former school board Chairman Terry English, with 6,355 votes, or 14.72%; Matt Suttles, with 5,256 votes, or 12.17%; and Stephanie Tenery with 4,857 votes, or 11.25%.
Board of Education
One of the Marion seats on the McDowell County Board of Education was contested. Republican Marvin F. Greer and Democrat Sarah Skinner both sought this seat.
Greer was easily elected to the seat with 10,442 votes, or 65.23%. Skinner got 5,566, or 34.77%.
"Thank you, McDowell County," Greer wrote on Facebook. "I am humbled and honored to be your next school board member. I said from the beginning that I'm not a politician, just a citizen who cares about this county and its kids. I'm one voice among nine, and I'll serve the way I said I would: listen first, work together, and make decisions based on facts, real needs, and what this community deserves. I'll work to strengthen our schools, protect our children, and support the teachers and staff who show up for them every day. Thank you for trusting me with that. May God bless you, your families, and McDowell County."
Eddie Shuford, a Republican, ran for reelection to the Board of Education's Pleasant Gardens seat. Dr. John Owens was approved by the Board of Elections as a write-in candidate for that seat.
Shuford won overwhelmingly in the race for the Pleasant Gardens seat on the board. He got 11,803, or 92.78%. The miscellaneous write-in candidates got only 919 votes, or 7.22%.
The other Board of Education seats up for election are held by Republicans Chuck Abernathy (Nebo seat) and Terry Frank (Glenwood seat). Since no Democrat filed to run for these seats, Abernathy and Frank were reelected without any opposition.
Other races
Clerk of Superior Court Melissa Adams, another Republican, faced opposition from Jessica Shuford, a write-in candidate. Adams was easily reelected with 12,093 votes, or 92.86%, while the miscellaneous write-in got only 930 votes, or 7.14%.
N.C. House Rep. Dudley Greene, another Republican, faced opposition from Democrat Suzanne Gavenus. This was for N.C. House District 85, which includes most of McDowell County.
As of 9:23 p.m. Tuesday, Greene was winning with 21,895 votes, or 64.68%, while Gavenus had 11,955 votes, or 35.32%.
N.C. House Rep. Jake Johnson, a Republican, faced opposition from Democrat John Morgan. This race was for N.C. House District 113, which includes the Dysartsville and Montford Cove communities of McDowell.
As of 9:25 p.m. Tuesday, Johnson was winning with 21,404 votes, or 57.89%, while Morgan had 15,567 votes, or 42.11%.
N.C. Sen. Warren Daniel, a Republican, faced opposition from Democrat Kyle Whisnant. This was for N.C. Senate District 46, which includes all of McDowell.
As of 9:28 p.m. Tuesday, Daniel had 37,861 votes, or 54.98%, while Whisnant had 31,006 or 45.02%.
Three Republican candidates for District Court judge were on the ballot and all three ran unopposed. They are Robert Martelle, Michelle McEntire and Ellen Shelley. David Norris, another Republican, ran unopposed for the district attorney's office.
McDowell Sheriff Nathan Mace, a Republican, was also on the ballot and had no formal opposition. Two candidates were on the ballot for the McDowell County Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor seats. They were Neil Brackett and Stephen Banner, and the office is nonpartisan. Brackett got 10,991 votes while Banner got 9,380 votes. Both were elected as supervisors.
Sales tax referendum
Here in McDowell County, voters were asked to decide a sales tax referendum. They were asked to decide whether they are for or against an increase in the sales tax by one-quarter percent, or 0.25%, in addition to all other state and local sales and use taxes. If approved by the voters, the additional one-quarter cent sales tax would help spread the cost burdens to visitors and non-property owners alike purchasing goods at local retail stores, county officials said.
The tax was estimated to raise about $1.5 million a year, and the McDowell commissioners said they would reduce the property tax rate by one penny if it passed, according to previous stories.
That proposal was soundly rejected by the voters. A total of 9,849 votes were cast against the sales tax increase, or 62.78%, while 5,839 votes were cast in favor, or 37.22%.
On Saturday, Oct. 31, the early voting period ended. In McDowell County, a total of 10,636 voters participated in early voting for the 2026 November election. The early-voter breakdown by party is as follows: 2,155 Democrats, 4,663 Republicans, 3,802 unaffiliated, two Green Party and 14 Libertarians, according to Elections Director Jane Dale Propst.
A total of 16,448 ballots were cast in the 2026 elections, which represented 52.46% of the number of voters in McDowell County, Propst said.
All the results from Tuesday night are considered unofficial. The results will become official when the McDowell Board of Elections holds the canvass on Friday, Nov. 13.
