I’m Landon Beaver, a working parent, small business owner, and lifelong advocate for our mountain communities. I live here, raise my family here, and like so many in Yancey County, I understand what it means to work hard, stretch a dollar, and still worry about the future. Through my work in mental health and community advocacy, I’ve spent years listening to our neighbors, helping families through difficult times, and seeing firsthand how decisions made at the county level impact everyday people.

I decided to run for County Commissioner because I believe our local government should be transparent, responsible, and focused on the needs of the people it serves. Yancey County is facing real financial challenges, and we need leadership that is honest about where we are and disciplined about where we’re going. I’m committed to restoring fiscal stability, protecting taxpayers, and making sure we plan for the future instead of reacting to crisis after crisis.

Most importantly, I believe in community. I believe in neighbors helping neighbors, in keeping people informed, and in making sure every voice is heard. Whether it’s strengthening our local economy, improving infrastructure, or helping our county recover and grow stronger after Hurricane Helene, I’m running to build a future that works for everyone because this is not just where I live, it is home.

Amber Westall Briggs is a dedicated community leader, working professional, and proud advocate for the people of Yancey County. With a strong commitment to service and a deep connection to the community, Amber has built her career around supporting others and strengthening the place she calls home. She understands the day-to-day challenges families face and brings a practical, people-first approach to leadership.

Amber is running to ensure local government is responsive, responsible, and focused on real results. She believes in clear communication, smart decision-making, and putting the needs of residents first. Her focus is on building a stronger, more stable future for Yancey County through thoughtful leadership and community collaboration.

This position is a placeholder candidate. The County Party will determine their replacement at a later date.

A lifelong Yancey County resident, mother, grandmother and retired National Board Certified educator with over 30 years of experience, is running for a seat on the Yancey County School Board of Education. With a background in Special Education and English Language Arts, she has been recognized as Yancey County Teacher of the Year and has contributed significantly to educational programs and grants. Burnette

My personal reason for seeking this office is to continue the excellence and growth I personally witnessed and contributed to Yancey County schools during my career. This can only happen if all stakeholders feel they have a voice and our elected officials are not afraid to celebrate the decisions they make on behalf of their constituents.

Hi, I’m Suzanne Gavenus. My husband Gary and I have lived in Burnsville for more than 23 years, where we raised our three children and before that, we lived, worked, and met in Avery County. I’m a licensed clinical social worker and currently serve as Director of Counseling and Wellness at NCSSM in Morganton. 

I’ve spent my career listening to families, students, and educators when systems aren’t working—and helping them find real solutions. I’m running for the North Carolina House because District 85 deserves a representative who shows up, listens, and fights for our mountain communities. 

I believe everyone should have access to affordable healthcare and mental health services, our educators deserve respect and fair pay, working families need affordable housing, childcare and living wages, and disaster recovery should focus on long-term resilience so our communities can rebuild stronger. 

I bring leadership that is grounded in service, focused on working families, and committed to long-term solutions and economic stability for Avery, McDowell, Mitchell, and Yancey Counties—and to make sure our voices are heard in Raleigh.

More info at: suzannegavenus4nchouse85.com

Frank Patton Hughes III was born in Iredell county and has lived all over our great state of North Carolina. He has enjoyed time spent in Statesville, Union Grove, Norlina, Greensboro, Kings Mountain, Winston-Salem, and across Avery County where he spent most of his life.

Growing up Frank had the opportunity to attend Montesorri preschool and kindergarten, and was homeschooled until entering fourth grade at Riverside Elementary in Avery County, continuing on to graduate from Western Guilford High School. He pursued higher education at Cleveland Community College, Caldwell Community College, and Appalachian State University, where he earned a Bachelors of Science.

Frank is currently a public school teacher specializing in Social Studies, a path he sought because of his own past teachers—both great…and not so great. Often finding it difficult to engage with the material as presented, Frank knew there must be better ways to involve neurodiverse students. Combined with a passion for training and teaching specialized skills, Frank’s school experiences lead him to recognize his natural calling as a teacher. Outside of the classroom, Frank has had experience in a wide array of jobs, from landscape nurseryman to car mechanic.

Frank’s professional achievements include an award of excellence for the High School Social Studies Praxis. He was one of three writers and advisors of curriculum for the Winston-Salem Forsyth school district for eighth grade social studies, the lead social studies teacher at Philo Hill Middle School in Winston-Salem, and is now lead world history teacher at McDowell High School. Frank also serves as Chair of the Avery County Democratic Party.

As a candidate for NC State Senate, Frank is first and foremost a passionate and strident advocate for public school students, teachers, and staff. He is dedicated to ensuring that students’ needs are met and that they become active participants in democratic self-governance. He strongly supports access to high quality affordable healthcare regardless of age or income level. Frank believes that folks deserve to be able to live with dignity where they work and play; in safe and affordable housing. He deeply feels a responsibility to serve as a steward of our forests, rivers, and farms. In his spare time, Frank runs the McDowell High School Chess Team. He is an active member of the United States Chess Federation and a regular attendee of the McDowell Chess Club at the Senior Center. He plays saxophone in the Avery County Community Band and is an avid gardener, specifically enjoying bonsai history, creation, and education.

More info at electhughes.com

Andrew Brooks is an attorney who has served the people of Western North Carolina for the last thirteen years. His practice has almost exclusively been in District Court, and he now seeks to apply that experience and dedication to service to become a District Court Judge.

The people of Watauga, Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, and Madison Counties deserve fair and impartial justice, and Andrew is committed to ensuring the Western North Carolina communities have open access to the court system to which they are entitled.
 

Before attending law school, Andrew worked in a variety of different areas, including construction, landscaping, and even worked at one of the High Country’s ski resorts for several years.

These experiences were instrumental to forming Andrew’s respect for people from all walks of life.

Learn more at: www.voteandrewbrooks.com

Justice Anita Earls is a civil rights attorney and experienced jurist who is running for reelection to the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2026. 

Her values of justice, equality, and fairness for all were born of the struggle she experienced growing up in a mixed-race family at a time when interracial marriages were illegal in most of the country. 

These values and experiences guided Justice Earls’ career choices, leading her to fight for the rights of ordinary citizens across North Carolina in a wide range of civil rights cases. For over 30 years, she stood alongside people whose right to vote was denied, people who were mistreated at work, and the parents of children who were being denied equal educational opportunities, seeking equal justice under the law in state and federal courtrooms. 

President Clinton appointed her to be a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Returning to North Carolina, she worked alongside Julius Chambers at the UNC Center for Civil Rights and, in 2007, founded the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, a nonprofit legal advocacy organization that partners with historically marginalized communities across the South. After serving as the organization’s executive director for 10 years, Justice Anita Earls was elected to the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2018. 

Now, as the only African American member of the Court, Justice Earls has continued to demonstrate her steadfast dedication to upholding the law by protecting the rights and freedoms of all North Carolinians – including access to healthcare, a sound basic public education, a clean environment, fairness in the marketplace, and the equal right to vote. 

Justice Earls lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband Charles Walton. She has two sons and three grandchildren.

For more information: earls4justice.com

Judge John Arrowood was born in Burnsville and lived in rural Yancey County until his parents passed away when he was fifteen. Following their deaths, he moved to Caldwell County to live with his brother, a State Trooper, and his family. Judge Arrowood graduated from the local public schools before earning his B.A. Magna Cum Laude from Catawba College, where he was honored with the Whitener Award. This prestigious award is given to the senior who best exemplifies the College’s goals of leadership, scholarship, and service. 

Judge Arrowood later received his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Judge John Arrowood currently serves as a Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals (2017-present), a position he has held for several years after previously serving in 2007-2008. His prior experience includes serving as a Special Superior Court Judge in 2007, as well as working as a partner at James, McElroy & Diehl, PA. Judge Arrowood is an American Arbitration Association-accredited arbitrator and a certified mediator. He also has experience as a Staff Attorney for the NC Court of Appeals and as a research assistant to Court of Appeals Judge Gerald Arnold.

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Beyond his professional work, he is an active member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte and remains deeply engaged in his community. He has served on the Board of Trustees for the Mint Museum of Art and the Board of the Charlotte Urban Ministry Center, an organization dedicated to assisting the homeless.

For more information: https://www.keepjudgearrowood.com/

Judge Toby Hampson grew up in Moore County, NC. He is a proud product of North Carolina public schools having attended Sandhills Farm Life Elementary, Union Pines High School, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. He earned his B.A. from American University with honors. Judge Hampson graduated from the Campbell University School of Law in 2002 with honors where he was inducted into the Order of Barristers and was a member of the Law Review.

Judge Hampson was elected to the Court of Appeals in 2018. He joined the court with extensive experience in appellate law.

He began his career at the North Carolina Court of Appeals clerking for Judges K. Edward Greene, Wanda Bryant and Bob C. Hunter. Hampson entered private practice with the Raleigh law firm of Patterson Dilthey focusing on trial and appellate litigation before joining Wyrick, Robbins, Yates & Ponton in 2007. At Wyrick he led the firm’s Appellate Practice group.

He is a North Carolina State Bar certified specialist in Appellate Practice and serves on the North Carolina Bar Association Appellate Rules Committee. Judge Hampson lives in Raleigh with his wife, Kristin, a practicing lawyer, and their three daughters.

For more information: https://www.judgetobyhampson.com/

My name is Judge Christine Walczyk, and I am running for the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2026.

I have been serving as a district court trial judge in Wake County for 19 years, and I am running for the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2026.   

As the most experienced district court judge in Wake County, I have worked hard to safeguard the fundamental rights and liberties of those who appeared in my courtroom with well-reasoned, swift, and nonpartisan decisions.

I am running for the Court of Appeals because I am increasingly concerned about the public's loss of confidence in the court system, a cornerstone of our democracy. My campaign will offer voters an experienced, temperate, and principled candidate dedicated to the rule of law. As a trial judge, I was nominated by four chief district court judges (Democrat and Republican) to serve in leadership positions including Lead Judge in Family Court for many years, and currently as Lead Judge in the general civil court. 

Prior to my service as a judge, I practiced law in Raleigh with Grafstein & Walczyk, P.L.L.C. representing small businesses with their transactional and litigation needs. I also represented indigent defendants in criminal cases and juveniles in delinquency matters. 

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​Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, at the old Rex Hospital, I moved to Florida as a child and returned to North Carolina in 1992. I graduated magna cum laude from the Boston College Carroll School of Management and completed my Juris Doctor at the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill.

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I am actively involved in the community and the profession as a member of the National Association of Women Judges' Judicial Independence Committee, the North Carolina Bar Association's Women in the Profession Committee, and as Chair of the Judicial Division of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys.  I particularly enjoy mentoring students and teaching. I am a former instructor at Meredith College's Paralegal Program and Wake Technical Community College.

For more information: www.judgechristine.org

I’m Jamie. I’m a fourth-generation farmer, entrepreneur, and proud son of Western North Carolina. Born in Fairview and raised on my family’s Hickory Nut Gap Farm, I’ve spent my life growing food, building community, and working with people. From a young age, my family taught me the values of public service, hard work, and neighborliness.

My great-grandparents helped launch one of the region’s first farm cooperatives. My granddad, Jamie Clarke, served western North Carolina in the U.S. Congress and the state legislature, balancing running the farm with working for the people in office. In fact, he was instrumental in helping to shape early programs like Medicare and Medicaid. I watched those values play out not in politics, but in the lives of our neighbors. My father John served in the State House seat that my older brother, Eric, currently serves in.

I graduated from A.C. Reynolds High School and earned degrees from Warren Wilson College in Environmental Studies with a concentration in sustainable agriculture and History. That’s also where I met Amy, my wife and partner in life and business. From 2004 – 2006, I participated in an Agriculture Leadership Development Program through NC State. Together, Amy and I returned to Fairview to raise our family and built Hickory Nut Gap, a sustainable meat company that today supports 25 employees and works with dozens of farmers across the region.

I know firsthand the stress many small business owners and families face — navigating health insurance, making payroll, managing cash flow, and contending with rising costs. I understand why people feel abandoned by both parties, and I’m running to make sure no one feels unseen.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, our community was tested in ways we’d never imagined. Our family lost power and water for weeks, fences were destroyed, livestock scattered, and communication lines were down. But when things were bad, our neighbors showed up and strangers lent a hand.

I was so proud to see how people organized, shared what little they had, and rebuilt together. That experience reaffirmed my belief in the generosity of our community and highlighted how the government often lags behind in times of crisis. It also deepened my resolve to push for smarter, faster, and more responsive systems that actually meet people’s needs.

As the proud father of three sons — Cyrus, Nolin, and Levi — I care deeply about our future. I’m concerned about big challenges like recovering from Hurricane Helene, affordability for working families, and preserving our environment and culture. I’m also outspoken about the need to support local businesses and putting Western North Carolina first. I’ve never been afraid to stand up for what’s right, even if it means speaking out against my own party or taking on extremists.

Western North Carolina deserves a representative who fights for the people, and I’m ready to serve.

For more info: agerforcongress.com

As Governor, Roy Cooper led North Carolina to be one of the fastest-growing states in the nation with a good quality of life, a strong education system, more health care coverage, and better-paying jobs. The state was named the best state for business three of the past four years.

Cooper was born and raised in Nash County, North Carolina, where he attended public schools and worked summers on the farm before earning undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He represented everyday people and small businesses while practicing law in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he and his wife Kristin raised three daughters. His mother was a public-school teacher, which helped cement his deep commitment to public education.

For years, he taught Sunday School and tutored students in local public schools. Cooper entered public service after being elected to the legislature, where he worked to raise teacher pay and strengthen law enforcement, and wrote North Carolina’s first children’s health insurance initiative.

After being elected Attorney General, Cooper prosecuted criminals and protected North Carolina families, small businesses, and seniors for four consecutive terms. He oversaw a sharp decrease in crime and fought for consumers by putting scammers and predatory lenders out of business and standing up to the drug companies and big banks, getting billions of dollars back to North Carolinians.

Elected Governor in 2016 and re-elected in 2020, both years that Donald Trump carried North Carolina, Cooper’s mission was to ensure that all North Carolinians had the opportunity to be better educated, healthier, and more prosperous for generations to come.

Governor Cooper worked to create thousands of new jobs and worked with members of both parties to enact hundreds of bipartisan bills. He succeeded in getting a bipartisan agreement to expand Medicaid, which in early 2025 has already brought health care to more than 650,000 North Carolinians. He enacted a plan to incentivize hospitals to relieve more than $4 billion of existing medical debt for 2 million eligible North Carolinians and prevent new debt.  He also focused on boosting public education, tackling the opioid crisis, revitalizing rural communities and making sure North Carolinians have the training to fill the better-paying jobs that require new skills.

Governor Cooper believes that if we work together, we can build a North Carolina that works for everyone.