Alamance News, Meet the Candidates

Anthony was born and raised in North Carolina. He is married with 3 children. He graduated from Southern Durham High School, then studied at North Carolina A&T State University and earned a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Phoenix.

Anthony is a former paramedic supervisor and is now employed in the private industry in senior leadership in cancer drug development. He has over 20 years of leadership experience across public and private sectors.

Anthony Pierce previously ran for Alamance County Commissioner in 2020 and 2022, but did not win.

Candidate website

Believes County Government should prioritize listening to and supporting public services, ensuring departments like Libraries, Parks, and Recreation receive necessary attention and resources. Plans to "bring people together regardless of political party" for the betterment of the community.

Believes the county government should ensure departments like libraries, parks, and recreation, and plans to "bring people together regardless of political party" for the betterment of the community.

Supports organizations fighting inequality and plans to welcome community input on decisions affecting public services, ensuring leaders listen and act on behalf of all citizens.

- Believes the county government should ensure departments like libraries, parks, and recreation, and plans to "bring people together regardless of political party" for the betterment of the community.
- Supports organizations fighting inequality and plans to welcome community input on decisions affecting public services, ensuring leaders listen and act on behalf of all citizens.

Public Services

As of June 4, 2025, Anthony Pierce’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Economy

Believes a competitive education system is essential and plans to fully fund schools, improve conditions, and ensure teachers receive competitive wages. Supports increased facility standards and safety measures, aiming to make Alamance County a leading school system in North Carolina.

Believes a competitive education system is essential and plans to fully fund schools, improve conditions, and ensure teachers receive competitive wages.

Believes "our kids and teachers have been underserved" and supports fully funding the school system to create conducive learning environments.

Believes teachers should receive a livable wage to retain top talent and ensure staff stability. Said, "They shouldn’t have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to provide for their families and live in the county."

Believes teachers should receive a livable wage to retain top talent and ensure staff stability, saying, "They shouldn’t have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to provide for their families and live in the county."

Supports increased facility standards and safety measures, aiming to make Alamance County a leading school system in North Carolina.

- Believes a competitive education system is essential and plans to fully fund schools, improve conditions, and ensure teachers receive competitive wages.
- Believes "our kids and teachers have been underserved" and supports fully funding the school system to create conducive learning environments.
- Believes teachers should receive a livable wage to retain top talent and ensure staff stability, saying, "They shouldn’t have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to provide for their families and live in the county."
- Supports increased facility standards and safety measures, aiming to make Alamance County a leading school system in North Carolina.

Education

Believes in fully funding health-related first responders and ensuring they have the necessary equipment and resources. Supports adequate access to public safety and county healthcare facilities for all residents, including those in rural areas.

Believes in fully funding health-related first responders and ensuring they have the necessary equipment and resources, and supports adequate access to public safety and county healthcare facilities for all residents, including those in rural areas.

Believes first responders and county departments deserve more attention and funding. Supports increasing wages for county staff and fully funding first responders to ensure they are equipped for emergencies.

Supports increasing wages for county staff and fully funding first responders to ensure they are equipped for emergencies.

Believes public safety, emergency services, and mental health should be accessible to all residents, regardless of income or location. Plans to ensure everyone in the community is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Believes public safety, emergency services, and mental health should be accessible to all residents, regardless of income or location.

- Believes in fully funding health-related first responders and ensuring they have the necessary equipment and resources, and supports adequate access to public safety and county healthcare facilities for all residents, including those in rural areas.
- Supports increasing wages for county staff and fully funding first responders to ensure they are equipped for emergencies.
- Believes public safety, emergency services, and mental health should be accessible to all residents, regardless of income or location.

Public Safety

Supports promoting affordable housing and ensuring resources for homeless support agencies, with a focus on veterans and families.

Believes in promoting smart growth and attracting businesses while preserving Alamance County's rural character and farmland. Supports local citizens determining the county's development over wealthy business owners seeking cheap land and fewer restrictions.

Believes in promoting smart growth and attracting businesses while preserving Alamance County's rural character and farmland, and supports local citizens determining the county's development over wealthy business owners seeking cheap land and fewer restrictions.

Believes growth in Alamance County is inevitable and supports proactive measures to protect rural spaces, farmland, and natural resources.

- Supports promoting affordable housing and ensuring resources for homeless support agencies, with a focus on veterans and families.
- Believes in promoting smart growth and attracting businesses while preserving Alamance County's rural character and farmland, and supports local citizens determining the county's development over wealthy business owners seeking cheap land and fewer restrictions.
- Believes growth in Alamance County is inevitable and supports proactive measures to protect rural spaces, farmland, and natural resources.

Housing & Urban Development

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Anthony Pierce

Carissa has degrees in law, engineering, and accounting.

Carissa has experience as a small business owner and has worked in education for over 16 years.

Carissa Graves is a former Green Level City Councilwoman. She also serves as the mayor pro tem and is the former mayor. She served in this capacity for 12 years.

Supports actively involving the community in decision-making processes to ensure residents' voices are heard and valued.

- Supports actively involving the community in decision-making processes to ensure residents' voices are heard and valued.

As of June 4, 2025, Carissa Graves’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Carissa Graves

Chris holds a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master's degree in religious studies from Wake Forest University. He is married to his wife, with whom he has 5 children. Their family lives in Mebane. 

Chris currently works in the cybersecurity industry. He previously worked in the aviation industry. He served as an F-15 crew chief in the Air Force for 4 years.

Incumbents, commissioner challengers first to file for 2024

Chris Smith's campaign for county commissioner in Alamance County is his first run for public office.

Wants to establish single-member district voting for county commissioner elections. 

- Wants to establish single-member district voting for county commissioner elections. 

Believes tax policy should ease the burden on the working poor, disabled, and elderly populations.

Wants to lower taxes to support the low-income, disabled, and elderly populations.

- Wants to lower taxes to support the low-income, disabled, and elderly populations.

Opposes using the term "school choice" to promote defunding and privatizing public schools.

Opposes using the term "school choice", stating it promotes "an agenda that seeks to defund and private our public schools."

Believes "our public schools are underfunded," "our teachers are underpaid," and "our schools are in disrepair," which is "unacceptable."

Believes local public schools are underfunded and in "disrepair."

Believes public school teachers are underpaid.

- Opposes using the term "school choice", stating it promotes "an agenda that seeks to defund and private our public schools."
- Believes local public schools are underfunded and in "disrepair."
- Believes public school teachers are underpaid.

Believes first responders deserve respect and fair compensation for their work. Said, "you cannot respect first responders while underpaying and overworking them."

Opposes "underpaying and overworking..." first responders. 

Believes in increasing the number of first responders to meet the needs of the growing county.

Wants to hire more first responders to meet county needs. 

- Opposes "underpaying and overworking..." first responders. 
- Wants to hire more first responders to meet county needs. 

As of June 4, 2025, Chris Smith’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Chris Smith

Ed earned his bachelor's degree in political science from SUNY New Paltz, his master's degree in organizational communication from Bowie State University, and a doctorate degree in management from the University of Maryland University College. He is married to his wife, Larisa. He previously volunteered for Alamance County Meals on Wheels.

Ed has worked as a college professor, and has experience working internationally teaching self-governance and free enterprise. In the United States, he served as the public affairs director of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. Additionally, he has been a substitute teacher in the Alamance Burlington School System.

The Alamance News, Former legislative candidate Ed Priola launches bid for county commissioner

Ed Priola previously ran for state representative of District 63 in 2022, but did not win.

As of June 4, 2025, Ed Priola’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes in reducing taxes and wasteful spending to allow taxpayers to keep more of their money.

Believes "free market principles are the bedrock of the American economy" and supports minimal government interference in business.

Opposes policies that "pick winners and losers," serve special interests, or subsidize favored businesses. Believes government control hampers economic growth and mirrors "failed socialist experiments."

Opposes policies that "pick winners and losers," serve special interests, or subsidize favored businesses, and believes government control hampers economic growth and mirrors "failed socialist experiments."

Believes businesses and farms, not the government, drive economic growth and job creation.

Believes North Carolina should lead in economic freedom by minimizing barriers for small businesses and encouraging job creation.

Believes Alamance County needs policies that promote smart economic growth, benefiting everyone and attracting diverse investments in industry, services, and family agriculture.

Opposes "maxing out credit cards and depleting retirement savings to make ends meet."

- Believes in reducing taxes and wasteful spending to allow taxpayers to keep more of their money.
- Believes "free market principles are the bedrock of the American economy" and supports minimal government interference in business.
- Opposes policies that "pick winners and losers," serve special interests, or subsidize favored businesses, and believes government control hampers economic growth and mirrors "failed socialist experiments."
- Believes businesses and farms, not the government, drive economic growth and job creation.
- Believes North Carolina should lead in economic freedom by minimizing barriers for small businesses and encouraging job creation.
- Believes Alamance County needs policies that promote smart economic growth, benefiting everyone and attracting diverse investments in industry, services, and family agriculture.
- Opposes "maxing out credit cards and depleting retirement savings to make ends meet."

Supports advocating for systemic changes to ensure equitable participation and outcomes in educational programs, addressing disproportionality based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and other factors.

Believes taxpayer dollars should follow students to their chosen educational institutions. Supports expanding family options beyond public schools.

Believes taxpayer dollars should follow students to their chosen educational institutions, and supports expanding family options beyond public schools.

Believes in promoting excellence for school counselors and the communities they serve through advocacy, leadership, professional development, and evidence-based best practices. Supports equity and access for all in education.

Believes in promoting excellence for school counselors and the communities they serve through advocacy, leadership, professional development, and evidence-based best practices.

Believes short-sightedness, indifference, and incompetence are root causes of mismanagement in education funding. Said, "almost $19 million initially allocated to air quality improvements was diverted to one-time bonuses," neglecting critical infrastructure projects.

Believes "short-sightedness, indifference, and incompetence" are root causes of mismanagement in education funding, saying, "Almost $19 million initially allocated to air quality improvements was diverted to one-time bonuses," neglecting critical infrastructure projects.

Believes in addressing racism and bias in schools and communities. Supports anti-racism education for all students.

Believes in addressing racism and bias in schools and communities, and supports "anti-racism education" for all students.

- Supports advocating for systemic changes to ensure equitable participation and outcomes in educational programs, addressing disproportionality based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and other factors.
- Believes taxpayer dollars should follow students to their chosen educational institutions, and supports expanding family options beyond public schools.
- Believes in promoting excellence for school counselors and the communities they serve through advocacy, leadership, professional development, and evidence-based best practices.
- Believes "short-sightedness, indifference, and incompetence" are root causes of mismanagement in education funding, saying, "Almost $19 million initially allocated to air quality improvements was diverted to one-time bonuses," neglecting critical infrastructure projects.
- Believes in addressing racism and bias in schools and communities, and supports "anti-racism education" for all students.

Believes law enforcement in Alamance County needs support against rising crime. Opposes efforts to "defund the police" and prevent local authorities from collaborating with ICE.

Believes law enforcement in Alamance County needs support against rising crime, and opposes efforts to "defund the police" and prevent local authorities from collaborating with ICE.

Believes that law enforcement response times are limited and supports the Second Amendment as essential for personal and community safety. Said, "Safety in Alamance County begins with the vigilant defense of this inalienable right."

Believes that law enforcement response times are limited and supports the Second Amendment as essential for personal and community safety, saying, "Safety in Alamance County begins with the vigilant defense of this inalienable right."

Believes school law enforcement officers should be carefully selected, trained, not involved in routine discipline, and regularly evaluated for compliance with National Association of School Resource Officers' standards.

Believes the threat of gang violence is real and close to home. Said, "victims who were hacked with machetes, shot numerous times, and decapitated."

Believes the threat of gang violence is real and close to home.

Believes social workers must actively oppose racism and oppression, supporting movements like Black Lives Matter. Advocates for dismantling institutional and structural racism, particularly in schools, to fully embrace community diversity.

Believes social workers must actively oppose racism and oppression, supporting movements like Black Lives Matter, and advocates for dismantling institutional and structural racism, particularly in schools, to fully embrace community diversity.

Believes the Second Amendment "guarantees our rights."

Believes "secure borders keep all Americans safe." Supports strong border security as a key component of public safety.

Believes "secure borders keep all Americans safe," and supports strong border security as a key component of public safety.

- Believes law enforcement in Alamance County needs support against rising crime, and opposes efforts to "defund the police" and prevent local authorities from collaborating with ICE.
- Believes that law enforcement response times are limited and supports the Second Amendment as essential for personal and community safety, saying, "Safety in Alamance County begins with the vigilant defense of this inalienable right."
- Believes school law enforcement officers should be carefully selected, trained, not involved in routine discipline, and regularly evaluated for compliance with National Association of School Resource Officers' standards.
- Believes the threat of gang violence is real and close to home.
- Believes social workers must actively oppose racism and oppression, supporting movements like Black Lives Matter, and advocates for dismantling institutional and structural racism, particularly in schools, to fully embrace community diversity.
- Believes the Second Amendment "guarantees our rights."
- Believes "secure borders keep all Americans safe," and supports strong border security as a key component of public safety.

Believes that people are "threatened with eviction because they can’t pay their property taxes."

Believes in lowering property taxes and spending taxpayer resources wisely. Said, “I am very grateful to have [Commissioner Lashley’s] support as we fight to lower property taxes.”

Believes in lowering property taxes and spending taxpayer resources wisely.

- Believes that people are "threatened with eviction because they can’t pay their property taxes."
- Believes in lowering property taxes and spending taxpayer resources wisely.

Twitter

Ed Priola

MEET THE CANDIDATES: GOP candidates for county commissioner (voters to select three)

Republican county commissioner candidates describe their visions for Alamance County

John is originally from Guilford County. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Elon University and his law degree from Wake Forest University. Paisley lives with his wife, Joyce, in Burlington and attends First Presbyterian Church of Burlington.


John is a practicing attorney at his own law office. 

Chair John P. Paisley

Ballotpedia

John Paisley Jr. currently serves as the chair of the Alamance County Board of Commissioners. He was first appointed in 2014, first elected in 2016, and is serving his third term. John also serves on the Alamance County Recreation and Parks Board and the Alamance County Transportation Authority Board. He previously ran to be the district judge for North Carolina's Judicial District 15A, but did not win.

Supports the preservation of the confederate monument in the town of Graham.

- Supports the preservation of the confederate monument in the town of Graham.

As of June 4, 2025, John Paisley, Jr. did not have a website or any information online.

John Paisley, Jr.

Alamance NC

Pamela lives in Graham, North Carolina. She attended East Carolina University. She is married to Craig Thompson and together they have 3 children. She has volunteered with the Alamance County Services League, a volunteer organization that supports causes ranging from Meals-on-Wheels to Family Abuse Services.

LinkedIn

Alamance News

Pamela works as a forensic examiner for a criminal law practice in Graham, North Carolina. She previously owned a hair salon.

Pamela Tyler Thompson currently serves as the County Commissioner in Alamance County. She was elected in 2020 and is serving her first term. She previously served as a member of the Alamance Burlington School System Board of Education from 2012 to 2020. 

Elon News Network

Opposes the removal of Confederate monuments.

Wants to build a civic center, a Great Wolf Lodge, and more recreational centers.

- Opposes the removal of Confederate monuments.
- Wants to build a civic center, a Great Wolf Lodge, and more recreational centers.

Said, "The gas prices are high, the food prices are high, and the housing prices are high."

- Said, "The gas prices are high, the food prices are high, and the housing prices are high."
- Supports lowering the tax rates.

- Supports student mental health services.

Wants to create a drug treatment center to address the "drug crisis."

Wants to create a local youth detention center.

Lists veteran services as a priority and wants to build a veteran center in Alamance County. She said, "The thing about a veteran center is the VA pays for it, so there's no tax increase.”

Supports criminal justice reform if approached with caution.

- Wants to create a drug treatment center to address the "drug crisis."
- Wants to create a local youth detention center.
- Lists veteran services as a priority and wants to build a veteran center in Alamance County. She said, "The thing about a veteran center is the VA pays for it, so there's no tax increase.”
- Supports criminal justice reform if approached with caution.

As of June 4, 2025, Pamela Tyler Thompson did not have a website or any information online.

Pamela Tyler Thompson

- County Commissioners create and pass laws at the county-level. These laws show up in very tangible ways, such as determining how much you pay property and sales tax rates, public transportation, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners are responsible for preparing and passing the county budget. The budget determines how much funding goes to various public services, such as public transportation, law enforcement, repairing roads, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners oversee the administrative duties of your county’s government to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of county residents.
- County Commissioners can create, change, or abolish offices, positions, departments that are not required by law. 
- County Commissioners are elected to 4-year terms, with no term limits. Typically, you only vote for the County Commissioner that represents your county commission district.

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Alamance County Commissioner

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