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Murphy – While 2026 may not be a presidential election year, the mid-term elections still pack plenty of punch – more than usual this year in Cherokee County.
In this cycle, three of five seats on the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners come up for election. However, because one commissioner was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2024, that seat will also be on the ballot next year.
Only one board seat won’t be on the ballot, District 5 – Hiwassee Dam, Unaka, Hanging Dog and Grape Creek – which is held by Commissioner Alan Bryant, who was elected in 2024.
The candidate filing period for the March 3 primary started Monday and ends at noon Friday, Dec. 19. The withdrawal deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16. The deadline to register to vote in the primary is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, 2026.
In Cherokee County, where Republicans dominate the polls, the March 3 primary will likely determine every local elected office ahead of the Nov. 3 general elections.
The 2026 midterm elections in Cherokee County include a majority of seats on both county-wide elected boards:
- Four out of five county commissioner seats held by Cal Stiles (District 1 – Andrews to Topton), Ben Adams (District 3 – Murphy to Brasstown) and Dan Eichenbaum (District 4 – Hothouse, Culberson, Ranger and Bellview). The ballot also includes District 2 (Peachtree to Marble), held by Mark Stiles, who was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board in 2024.
- Four school board seats held by Steve Coleman (at large), Jeannie Gaddis (District 2 – Murphy), Jason Murphy (District 3 – Hiwassee Dam) and Shannon Raper (District 3 – Hiwassee Dam).
The 2026 elections include key executive offices in government and law enforcement:
- Cherokee County sheriff, held by Dustin Smith.
- Cherokee County clerk of Superior Court, held by Amanda Carrol, who was appointed in February to replace the retiring Roger Gibson.
- Cherokee County register of deeds, held by Karen Mint Wright.
- Cherokee County Soil & Water Conservation District supervisor seats, held by Bill Tipton and Jamie Lance.
The elections include key seats for offices in districts that include Cherokee County:
- N.C. State Senate, District 50, held by Kevin Corbin.
- N.C. House of Representatives, District 120, held by Karl Gillespie.
- District Attorney, District 43, held by Ashley Welch.
- Elections for federal offices on Cherokee County ballots include:
- U.S. Senate seat, held by Thom Tillis, who is not running for re-election.
- U.S. House of Representatives, District 11, held by Chuck Edwards, who filed to seek re-election Monday. Jamie Ager has also filled to run in that race so far.
Finally, the March ballot includes three N.C. District Court Judge District 43 seats held by Donna Forga, Kristy Parton and William “Bill” Jones. Forga was appointed to the bench to replace Tessa Sellers when she was appointed to superior court, while Jones was appointed to the bench to replace Roy Wijewickrama when he was appointed to Superior Court.
The ballot also includes an associate justice seat on the N.C. Supreme Court and three seats on the N.C. Court of Appeals.
Filing status
Candidates filing for offices in Cherokee County as of Tuesday morning were:
- U.S. Senate (Republican): Elizabeth Temple.
- U.S. House of Representatives District 11 (Republican): Chuck Edwards.
- N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 1 (Democrat): Anita Earls.
- N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 1 (Democrat): John Arrowood.
- N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 2 (Democrat): Toby Hampson.
- N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 3 (Democrat): James Whalen and Christine Walczyk.
- N.C. State Senate District 50 (Republican): Kevin Corbin.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners District 1 (Republican): Cal Stiles and Steve Jordan.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners District 3 (Republican): Mark Stalcup and Steve Coleman.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners District 4 (Republican): Dan Eichenbaum.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners District 2 (unexpired) (Republican): Mark Stiles.
- Cherokee County clerk of Superior Court (Republican): Amanda Anderson Carroll.
- Cherokee County Sheriff (Republican): Chris Wood and Dustin Smith.