Macon County
Sample ballots(Scroll left sidebar)
Early Voting locations
There are two early voting locations:
1) Macon County Community Building, 1288 Georgia Road, Franklin, NC 28734
2) Highlands Civic Center, 600 N. 4th Street, Highlands, NC 28741
Early-voting times:
Thursday, February 15: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday, February 16: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 17: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday, February 18: CLOSED
Monday, February 19: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday, February 20: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 21: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday, February 22: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday, February 23: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 24: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday, February 25: CLOSED
Monday, February 26: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday, February 27: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 28: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday, February 29: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday, March 1: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 2: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Voters who opt to vote in-person on Primary Day will need to go to their assigned precinct. All precincts will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. You can look up your assigned precinct here:https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/
Statewide races
Governor: Who will lead the state? Find information on all the candidates here.
Lieutenant Governor: With current Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson seeking higher office, a crowded field of hopefuls compete for one of the least powerful roles in state government. Find more on the candidates here.
Attorney General: Two former Congressman are among the four people hoping to become the state's next Attorney General. Read about all the candidates here.
Council of State: The Council of State races include Treasurer, Labor Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, Auditor, Insurance Commissioner, State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Secretary State. Find details on all the candidates here.
Judicial races:
Supreme Court: Two Democrats - incumbent Allison Riggs and challenger Lora Cubbage - are competing in the primary to challenge Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin for a seat on the state's highest court. Riggs is a former Court of Appeals judge who was appointed to the Supreme Court in September of last year to replace Justice Michael Morgan who is making a bid for governor in this election. Riggs graduated from the University of Florida with an undergraduate degree, masters degree and law degree. She was an attorney for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice where she argued several of the state's redistricting challenges. Cubbage is a Superior Court judge from Greensboro. She graduated from NC A&T and earned her law degree from UNC Chapel Hill. She previously worked as an assistant attorney general at the N.C. Department of Justice.
Court of Appeals: Republicans Chris Freeman and Hunter Murphy face off in the primary, and the winner will face Buncombe County Democrat Martin Moore in the general election. Freeman has served as a district court judge and assistant district attorney in Rockingham and Caswell Counties. He graduated from High Point University and obtained his law degree from Regent University. Murphy won the seat since 2016, after he ran unsuccessfully in 2014. He graduated from UNC Chapel Hill and earned his law degree at University of the Pacific. Prior to taking the bench, he was in private practice.
Local races
NC District Court Judge District 43, Seat 7 (Rep)
The 43rd district, which includes Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain Counties, used to be known as the 30th judicial district. The districts were renumbered in 2023 to match the state’s prosecutorial district. In addition, the seat is a new one created last year.
District Court judges work at the trial court level. On the criminal side, they preside over misdemeanors and infractions, and on the civil side, they preside over cases involving claims of more than $25,000.
Andy Buckner - Andy Buckner was born and raised in Sylva and is currently an assistant district attorney in the office of District Attorney Ashley Welch, according to his campaign website. He previously worked for law firms in Sylva and Raleigh and was also a music educator at Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva.
Virginia Hornsby - An attorney from Franklin, Virginia Hornby describes herself on her campaign website as “the ONLY authentic Republican candidate” in the race for the newly-created seat. She moved to North Carolina from Florida in 2004 and has experience working as a prosecutor, in criminal defense and in family law.
The only local races on the primary ballot are two Republican county commissioner seats. Because all of the candidates are within the same party, the primary election will decide the winners of the election. County commissioners in Macon County serve four-year terms.
Macon County Board Of Commissioners District 02 (Rep)
Josh Young - Incumbent Josh Young was first elected in 2020. He is a Franklin High School graduate who owns and operates Young's Tree Service. He coaches youth sports. He doesn’t have a campaign website but is active on social media.
Chris Browning - Chris Browning is a lifelong Macon County resident and small business owner. Browning is a U.S. Air Force veteran who unsuccessfully ran for sheriff in 2022 on a platform of locking up drug dealers. His 2024 slogan is "No New Taxes,” according to his campaign page.
Macon County Board Of Commissioners District 03 (Rep)
Barry Breeden - Barry Breeden is a Franklin High School graduate, a former Swain County detention officer and a small business owner. His wife Diedre is a current Macon County School Board member. Breeden's campaign page says he supports county employees, recreation, emergency services and the school system.
Paul Higdon - Incumbent Paul Higdon was re-elected in 2020. He doesn’t have a campaign website. Higdon owns and operates Sewer Solutions, Inc. In his current county commissioner bio he states, "I believe excessive spending and growth of government at all levels needs to be challenged." He doesn’t have a campaign website and isn’t active on social media.
Jackson County
Early Voting locations
There are five early voting locations:
1) Cashiers Recreation Center, 355 Frank Allen Rd Cashiers, NC 28717
2) Cullowhee Recreation Center, 88 Cullowhee Mountain Rd Cullowhee, NC 28723
3) Jackson County Board of Elections 876 Skyland Dr # 1 Sylva, NC 28779
4) Quall Community Building 181 Shoal Creek Church Loop Whittier, NC 28789
5) Western Carolina University 245 Memorial Drive Cullowhee, NC 28723
Early-voting times:
Thursday, February 15: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday, February 16: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 17: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday, February 18: CLOSED
Monday, February 19: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday, February 20: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 21: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday, February 22: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday, February 23: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 24: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday, February 25: CLOSED
Monday, February 26: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday, February 27: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 28: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday, February 29: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday, March 1: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 2: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Voters who opt to vote in person on Primary Day will need to go to their assigned precinct. All precincts will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. You can look up your assigned precinct here:https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/
Statewide races
Governor: Who will lead the state? Find information on all the candidates here.
Lieutenant Governor: With current Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson seeking higher office, a crowded field of hopefuls compete for one of the least powerful roles in state government. Find more on the candidates here.
Attorney General: Two former Congressman are among the four people hoping to become the state's next Attorney General. Read about all the candidates here.
Council of State: The Council of State races include Treasurer, Labor Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, Auditor, Insurance Commissioner, State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Secretary State. Find details on all the candidates here.
Judicial races:
Supreme Court: Two Democrats - incumbent Allison Riggs and challenger Lora Cubbage - are competing in the primary to challenge Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin for a seat on the state's highest court. Riggs is a former Court of Appeals judge who was appointed to the Supreme Court in September of last year to replace Justice Michael Morgan who is making a bid for governor in this election. Riggs graduated from the University of Florida with an undergraduate degree, masters degree and law degree. She was an attorney for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice where she argued several of the state's redistricting challenges. Cubbage is a Superior Court judge from Greensboro. She graduated from NC A&T and earned her law degree from UNC Chapel Hill. She previously worked as an assistant attorney general at the N.C. Department of Justice.
Court of Appeals: Republicans Chris Freeman and Hunter Murphy face off in the primary, and the winner will face Buncombe County Democrat Martin Moore in the general election. Freeman has served as a district court judge and assistant district attorney in Rockingham and Caswell Counties. He graduated from High Point University and obtained his law degree from Regent University. Murphy won the seat since 2016, after he ran unsuccessfully in 2014. He graduated from UNC Chapel Hill and earned his law degree at University of the Pacific. Prior to taking the bench, he was in private practice.
Local races
Currently, the Jackson County School Board election is held during the primary instead of the general. It’s a nonpartisan race. The County Commissioners requested that state lawmakers move the race to the general but the bill wasn’t passed in time for this election cycle.
Jackson County Board Of Education District 01
Rainy Brake - Rainy Brake accepted a position as Cherokee Language Instructor at Western Carolina University in 2019. She was born and raised in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Brake previously ran for County Commission in 2022. Brake doesn’t have a campaign website or active social media.
Gayle Woody - Gayle Woody is a former Jackson County Commissioner and retired local art teacher running for school board. She was elected to the commission in 2018 and lost re-election in 2022. She doesn’t have a campaign website but does have active social media.
Jackson County Board Of Education District 03
Clint Irons - Clint Irons is the owner of Busted Knuckles Garage in Sylva. He says that he has coached little league and middle school basketball in Jackson County. Irons advocates on his campaign page for a stand-alone middle school, vocational training and investments in Pre-K to help with early childcare in the county.
Wes Jamison - Wes Jamison is a current member of the Jackson County School Board who was first elected in 2016. He grew up in Jackson County and currently works as a Division Project Development Engineer for the N.C. Department of Transportation. Wes says he is an advocate for prekindergarten programs and for the establishment of a much-needed middle school. He doesn’t have a campaign website and doesn’t an active social media.
Swain County
Early Voting locations
There are two early voting locations:
Early voting will be held at the following locations from Thursday, February 15, 2024, through Saturday, March 2, 2024:
1) County Board of Elections office, 1422 US Hwy 19 South, Bryson City, NC 28713
2) Birdtown Recreation Center, 1212 Birdtown Rd, Cherokee, NC 28719
Early Voting Dates and Times:
Weekdays: February 15th, 16th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th March 1st
8:00 am – 7:30 pm
Saturdays: February 17th, 24th
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
March 2nd
8:00 am – 3:00 pm
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Statewide races
Governor: Who will lead the state? Find information on all the candidates here.
Lieutenant Governor: With current Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson seeking higher office, a crowded field of hopefuls compete for one of the least powerful roles in state government. Find more on the candidates here.
Attorney General: Two former Congressman are among the four people hoping to become the state's next Attorney General. Read about all the candidates here.
Council of State: The Council of State races include Treasurer, Labor Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, Auditor, Insurance Commissioner, State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Secretary State. Find details on all the candidates here.
Judicial races:
Supreme Court: Two Democrats - incumbent Allison Riggs and challenger Lora Cubbage - are competing in the primary to challenge Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin for a seat on the state's highest court. Riggs is a former Court of Appeals judge who was appointed to the Supreme Court in September of last year to replace Justice Michael Morgan who is making a bid for governor in this election. Riggs graduated from the University of Florida with an undergraduate degree, masters degree and law degree. She was an attorney for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice where she argued several of the state's redistricting challenges. Cubbage is a Superior Court judge from Greensboro. She graduated from NC A&T and earned her law degree from UNC Chapel Hill. She previously worked as an assistant attorney general at the N.C. Department of Justice.
Court of Appeals: Republicans Chris Freeman and Hunter Murphy face off in the primary, and the winner will face Buncombe County Democrat Martin Moore in the general election. Freeman has served as a district court judge and assistant district attorney in Rockingham and Caswell Counties. He graduated from High Point University and obtained his law degree from Regent University. Murphy won the seat since 2016, after he ran unsuccessfully in 2014. He graduated from UNC Chapel Hill and earned his law degree at University of the Pacific. Prior to taking the bench, he was in private practice.
Local races
The only local race on the primary ballot is for Republican Swain County Commissioners.
The term is for four years and voters can choose two candidates on the ballot.
Swain County Board Of Commissioners Members (Rep)
Eric Watson - Eric Watson was born and raised in Swain County. Watson says on his campaign social media page that he is a veteran of the United States Air Force and a kidney donor. He doesn’t have a campaign website.
Tanner Lawson - Tanner Lawson doesn’t have a campaign website or active social media, but his LinkedIn shows that he is the membership coordinator for the Bryson City/Swain County Chamber of Commerce. He is also associate pastor of Victory Baptist Church of Bryson City, according to hisFacebook.
Kenneth Parton - IncumbentKenneth Parton was elected for the first time in 2020 as the top vote getter. In summer 2023, Parton voted to eliminate the TDA, the Smoky Mountain Times reported. He doesn’t have a campaign website or active social media.
