IFN Staff

Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell, Register of Deeds Renee Holland, District Court Judge Carole A. Hicks and Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education member Anita Kurn remained unopposed when the official candidate filing period for the 2026 elections ended earlier this month.

All of the other races will either have a March primary, a contested election in November or both.

While two incumbent lawmakers, Sen. Vickie Sawyer and Rep. Jeff McNeely, will not face a challenge in the Republican primary, Reps. Todd Carver and Mitchell Setzer will have to fend off a member of their own party to win another term.

Six Republicans, including incumbents Scottie Brown, Bert Connelly and Brad Stroud Sr., and two Democrats filed to run for three seats on the Iredell County Board of Commissioners.

In an interesting development, District Court Judge Jessie Conley, who was appointed by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein in May, changed her party affiliation to Republican. She will face Martin Gottholm in the primary election.

In races where a primary is necessary, they will be held on March 3. The general election is scheduled for November 3.

Here’s the final list of candidates who filed to run in the 2026 elections in Iredell County:

N.C. General Assembly

♦ N.C. SENATE (District 37): Vickie Sawyer (Rep); Raygan J. Angel (Dem); Precinda Bjorgen (Dem)
♦ N.C. HOUSE (District 84): Jeff McNeely (Rep); Chris E. Gilbert (Dem)
♦ N.C. HOUSE (District 89): Robert Thompson (Dem); Mitchell Setzer (Rep); Lisa Deaton Koperski (Rep)
♦ N.C. HOUSE (District 95): Richard Carver (Rep); Mike Kubiniec (Rep); Michael Robinson (Dem)

Judicial Races

♦ DISTRICT COURT (District 32 – Seat 1): Carole A. Hicks (Rep)
♦ DISTRICT COURT (District 32 – Seat 6): Jessie Conley (Rep); Martin Gottholm (Rep)

Local Races

♦ IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS (3 Seats): Brent Goddard (Rep); Angela Wokatsch Matthews (Rep); Bert Connolly (Rep); Scottie Brown (Rep); Brad Stroud Sr. (Rep); Lisa Meier (Rep); Amanda Brown Kotis (Dem); Terence Clark (Dem)

♦ CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT: Jim Mixson (Rep); H. William Compton Jr. (Rep)

♦ REGISTER OF DEEDS: Renee L. Holland (Rep)

♦ SHERIFF: Darren Campbell (Rep)

♦ I-SS BOARD OF EDUCATION (District 1): William Howell (Rep); Brian Sloan (Rep)

♦ I-SS BOARD OF EDUCATION (District 3): Cindy Haynes (Rep); John Sherrill (Rep)

♦ I-SS BOARD OF EDUCATION (District 5): Luke Hessels (Rep); Boen Nutting (Rep)

♦ I-SS BOARD OF EDUCATION (District 7): Anita Kurn (Rep)