2026 North Carolina General Election

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Jack E. Smith
 
Sheriff Office
Title: Sheriff





Elected: 2014

Jack E. Smith | Northampton County, North Carolina

Who Is Running for Prosecutor and Sheriff in North Carolina in 2026?

Below are the candidates who filed to run for district attorney and sheriff by the state’s filing deadline for major party candidates. (This list was published as of January 2026; unaffiliated candidates may still enter at a later point.) The information was obtained from the state board of elections.

New Hanover  Ed McMahon (R, inc.)
Northampton  Jack E. Smith (D, inc.)
Onslow  Chris Thomas (R, inc.)

Who Is Running for Prosecutor and Sheriff in North Carolina in 2026?

Jack E. Smith serves as sheriff of Northampton County. He was elected in 2014.

Staff Directory • Jack E. Smith - Northampton County, NC

Northampton County Office of the Sheriff Jack E. Smith Information

OBJECTIVE: To serve and protect the citizens of Northampton County. To enforce the laws of N.C and the Constitution of the U.S.

MISSION: To maintain a high quality of life for all residents and visitors of Northampton Co. We have adopted a philosophy of Community Oriented Law Enforcement working in partnership with citizens to develop policing services to meet the unique needs of the community, while assuring fairness, equal treatment, and protection to all.

Northampton County Office of the Sheriff Jack E. Smith Information

Northampton County Office of the Sheriff Jack E. Smith Information

OBJECTIVE: To serve and protect the citizens of Northampton County. To enforce the laws of N.C and the Constitution of the U.S.

MISSION: To maintain a high quality of life for all residents and visitors of Northampton Co. We have adopted a philosophy of Community Oriented Law Enforcement working in partnership with citizens to develop policing services to meet the unique needs of the community, while assuring fairness, equal treatment, and protection to all.

VISION for the future is to become a leader in Law Enforcement through partnerships with the citizens we serve that promote crime prevention, mutual trust, and strategies that ensure a high standard of life. Our vision of Community Oriented Policing is anchored by the idea of establishing and maintaining a partnership with the community we serve.

Adopts community-oriented policing through partnerships with residents to promote crime prevention, mutual trust, fairness, and equal treatment.

- Adopts community-oriented policing through partnerships with residents to promote crime prevention, mutual trust, fairness, and equal treatment.

Public Safety

As of April 6, 2026, Jack E. Smith did not have a website or any information online.

Jail Management

Northampton County Sheriff Jack E. Smith told ABC11 he is committed to serving the citizen's of the county with professionalism and pride. "Our people are not above the law and should be brought to justice just as any citizen would. I am glad to see them brought to justice," he said.

13 current and former North Carolina and Virginia law enforcement officers indicted

Said law-enforcement personnel are not above the law and should be brought to justice like any other citizen.

- Said law-enforcement personnel are not above the law and should be brought to justice like any other citizen.

Criminal Justice

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Jack E. Smith

As of April 6, 2026, Jack E. Smith’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Jack E. Smith was elected Northampton County sheriff in 2014.

Jack E. Smith's campaign for Northampton Sheriff is his first entry into politics.

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

Personal
Tony Burnette has lived in Northampton County for over 20 years. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University and has worked in education for several years.

Tony Burnette (Northampton County Board of Education, North Carolina, candidate 2024)

Tony Burnette is a graduate of North Carolina State University.

Tony Burnette (Northampton County Sheriff, North Carolina ...

Biography
Tony Burnette has a background in law enforcement and community service. He has served in various capacities within the Northampton County Sheriff's Office and has been involved in local community initiatives aimed at improving public safety and community relations.

Tony Burnette (Northampton County Sheriff, North Carolina, candidate 2026)

Tony Burnette has served in various capacities within the Northampton County Sheriff's Office.

Tony has served in various capacities within the Northampton County Sheriff's Office.

As of September 2, 2026, Tony Burnette did not have a website or any information online.

The article, published June 22, 2016, described a planned Journey to Justice rally. Tony Burnette, then Northampton County NAACP president, said: “The mission is to the keep the victims in the public spotlight and to ask support from the district attorney to help us create a task force to be dedicated to focus on the missing and unsolved murder cases in each county along with different jurisdictions to get moving and make some arrests,” said Northampton County NAACP President Tony Burnette.

RRSpin - Rally to call on DA for assistance in missing person cases

In the June 22, 2016 article, Burnette discussed missing and unsolved murder cases. The article states: Burnette believes “if everyone involved comes together, puts our heads together, we can come up with something. You could get someone retired to work these cases, take somebody to work nothing but these cases, get a fresh set of eyes and ears and retrace the steps to get to the core of the matter. That's what it's going take. There are 12 people in the Roanoke Valley whose families have no closure. For the area we live in, that's a tragedy.”

In the June 22, 2016 article, following his comments on dedicating personnel to missing and unsolved-murder cases, Burnette said: “We're calling on our DA to support the families on these cases and to take that leadership role and to move these different agencies to bring pressure and try to find out what happened. We really need her to take the lead role in trying to get something done.”

Burnette said the group planned to meet every six weeks after its meeting with families of missing people and law-enforcement representatives. He said: “We're going to continue to support the families. We're committed to stand by these families every step of the way. We're hoping and praying their stories will touch someone's heart and help families find closure.”

Families of missing get pledges for help

Advocates for a task force focused on missing-person and unsolved-murder cases across jurisdictions.

Advocates for dedicated investigators, including retired personnel, to reinvestigate missing-person and unsolved-murder cases.

Calls for the district attorney to lead coordination among agencies investigating missing-person and unsolved-murder cases.

Pledges to support families of missing people and help them seek closure.

- Advocates for a task force focused on missing-person and unsolved-murder cases across jurisdictions.
- Advocates for dedicated investigators, including retired personnel, to reinvestigate missing-person and unsolved-murder cases.
- Calls for the district attorney to lead coordination among agencies investigating missing-person and unsolved-murder cases.
- Pledges to support families of missing people and help them seek closure.

Tony Burnette

As of September 2, 2026, Tony Burnette’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Walter Ley

- The sheriff is responsible for enforcing the law, managing security in jails and courtrooms. They also oversee daily conditions of the jail and inmates in custody and serve legal documents such as warrants and eviction notices. Their ultimate responsibility is to protect the community. 

Responsible for enforcing the law and overseeing jails. 

Northampton Sheriff

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Public Safety

Jail Management

Criminal Justice