Republican Kristel Swayze is running for the Cabarrus County Commission in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
The county candidate list, updated Sept. 14, lists seven candidates for three commission seats: Republicans James N. Bailey, Ian Patrick and Kristel Swayze; Democrats Phil Henry, Ingrid Nurse and Dan Redding; and Libertarian Thomas Hill.
Background
Her campaign biography says she attended Shady Brook Elementary, Kannapolis Middle School and A.L. Brown High School before studying sociology and history at UNC-Chapel Hill.
It describes work at Blue Cross Blue Shield and starting a business in 2002, along with school PTO volunteering. Swayze and her husband, Ken, are raising two children in the county, according to the campaign.
Policy priorities
Her platform calls for coordination among the county and municipalities so development aligns with infrastructure, school capacity and public services. She favors long-range school facility planning and competitive teacher supplements.
Swayze advocates appropriate staffing and resources for police, fire and emergency medical services. She proposes using the Stephen M. Morris Building as a hub for coordinated mental healthcare and improving partnerships among providers, nonprofits, schools and public safety agencies.
In an August Inform Cabarrus questionnaire, she supported expanding Rocky River wastewater treatment capacity. She also emphasized economic development and workforce partnerships.
These are Swayze’s stated priorities; unverified acreage, cost and endorsement claims have been omitted.
