Phil Henry, a Democrat, is running for the Cabarrus County Commission in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Three seats are open. Voters will choose up to three candidates.

Henry said on his campaign website that family motivated his run. He said he and his wife of 52 years moved to Cabarrus County in 2022 to be closer to their daughter's family. He said he wants his family to know "I did everything I could to help make things better."

Candidate information

  • Name: Phil Henry
  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: Cabarrus County Commission
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
  • Profession: Engineer

Six other candidates are also running: Dan Redding (Democratic), Ingrid Nurse (Democratic), James Bailey (Republican), Kristel Swayze (Republican), Ian Patrick (Republican) and Thomas B. Hill (Libertarian).

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Henry's campaign website and his responses on BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.

Land use and development: Henry said he supports growth that "makes sense holistically for the County." He said he wants to manage development while preserving the character of communities, according to his campaign website.

Education: Henry said he wants to develop a comprehensive plan to increase school capacity and address what he called a significant amount of postponed maintenance on school infrastructure. He also said the county should recruit top teachers and pay them salaries comparable to surrounding communities and counties, according to his BallotReady responses.

Infrastructure and transportation: Henry said the county needs to plan for investment in roads, water systems and public services to support a growing population.

Public safety: Henry said he wants to ensure law enforcement, fire and emergency services have the resources to keep the county safe as it grows.

Economy and taxes: Henry said the county should support existing small businesses to create good-paying jobs and ensure new business investments are economically feasible and strictly monitored. He called transparency in county spending "crucial" and said smart investments paired with fiscal stewardship are essential, according to his BallotReady responses.