Ian Patrick, the Harrisburg architect appointed to the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners in December 2025, is seeking one of three commission seats in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election.
Patrick, a Republican, was appointed by the Cabarrus County Republican Party to replace Commissioner Lynn Shue, who died in November 2025, according to the Charlotte Observer. The board voted 4-0 to seat him on Dec. 15, 2025. Immediately after being sworn in, Patrick was nominated by Commissioner Larry Pittman and elected vice chair on a unanimous vote, the Observer reported.
Six other candidates are certified for the race, according to BallotReady: Republicans James Bailey and Kristel Swayze, Democrats Dan Redding, Ingrid Nurse and Phil Henry, and Libertarian Thomas B. Hill.
Voters will choose up to three.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Residence: Harrisburg, N.C.
- Education: Bachelor of arts in architecture and bachelor of architecture, both from UNC Charlotte, according to his campaign website
- Profession: Licensed architect with registrations in North Carolina and South Carolina; founded his architecture firm in 2015, according to his campaign website
- Recognition: Charlotte Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award in 2022, according to his campaign website
Experience and public service
Patrick served on the Harrisburg Town Council from 2019 to 2025, according to BallotReady. He also chaired the Harrisburg Board of Adjustment during that period, his website states.
At the county level, Patrick said on his campaign website that he chairs the Commission on Financial Efficiency and serves as a board member on the Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County. He also serves as an alternate representative to the Centralina Regional Council and as board chair of Construction Professionals Network Inc., per his campaign site.
On the issues
Development and growth: Patrick said on his campaign website that he is working with municipal leaders across the county to ensure growth decisions do not burden existing residents with overcrowded schools, traffic and infrastructure strain. He said that during his tenure on Harrisburg Town Council, he reduced residential approvals by 96%, allowing infrastructure to catch up with growth while prioritizing commercial development.
Infrastructure: Patrick said the non-taxing Water and Sewer Authority board approved upgrades to sewer infrastructure across the county without overburdening customers, according to his campaign website.
Education and schools: Patrick said he secured funding for Northwest Cabarrus Elementary School and Northwest Cabarrus High School by lobbying the LGC, a state agency. Construction is expected to start in fall 2026, he said. Patrick also said he was instrumental in placing school general obligation bonds on the November ballot.
Government reform: Patrick said his experience in the architecture and construction industry positions him to reduce costs, improve long-term planning and reduce waste in county government, according to his BallotReady response.
The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
