About Ray Jeffers
Experienced in Governing

Ray Jeffers is a native of Person County. Ray attended Person County Schools, Piedmont Community College (PCC), and North Carolina Agriculture & Technical State University (A&T). Ray was motivated to join the political realm due to his school affiliations with extracurricular clubs and organizations and his volunteerism.

About Ray Jeffers

Ray Jeffers is a native of Person County. He attended Person County Schools, Piedmont Community College, and North Carolina Agriculture & Technical State University.

Campaign website: www.rayjeffers.com

Occupation & employer: Farm & Outreach Specialist, RAFI-USA

Years lived in North Carolina: 39

Candidate Questionnaire: Ray Jeffers, NC House 2

1. What in your background qualifies you to represent the people of your North Carolina district effectively? What would you cite as your three biggest career accomplishments?
I am running because I have the experience and desire to make a difference in our community. Being a farmer who works the land purchased by my great-grandfather, I have seen first hand how businesses have to adapt and change. Our tobacco farm is now a vegetable farm and we also raise pigs on pasture. The 12 years I served on the Person County Commission prepared me well to advocate for the people of our district.

Ray Jeffers works as a farm and outreach specialist at RAFI-USA. He also farms vegetables and raises pigs on pasture.

Ray works as a farm and outreach specialist at RAFI-USA. He also farms vegetables and raises pigs on pasture.

Ray Jeffers (Democratic Party) is a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 2. He assumed office on January 1, 2023. His current term ends on January 1, 2027.

Ray Jeffers

General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 2

Ray Jeffers defeated incumbent Larry Yarborough and Gavin Bell in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 2 on November 8, 2022.

General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 2

Incumbent Ray Jeffers defeated Jason Chambers in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 2 on November 5, 2024.

Learn More
Meet Ray Jeffers

Ray served for 12 years as an elected Person County Commissioner (2008-2020), including Chairman in 2020. In addition, he served 11 years on the board of directors for the N.C. Association of County Commissioners (2009-2020) was elected President from 2013-2014. Ray also served five terms on the National Association of Counties board of directors. Ray continues to serve on several local and state boards.

Ray Jeffers Campaign Homepage

Ray currently serves in the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 2. He was first elected in 2022 and reelected in 2024, and is serving his second term. Ray previously served as an elected Person County Commissioner from 2008 to 2020.

North Carolina House of Representatives District 2 - Ballotpedia

2026 North Carolina General Election

4. Do you support raising North Carolina’s minimum wage, and if so by how much? If not, what other initiatives would you take to support low-income families in North Carolina?

Yes, I support raising the minimum wage to $15/hour in a phased approach that is then tied to inflation. We must acknowledge this will have an impact on our small businesses and I support an approach that will grant employers with 25 or fewer employees extra time to implement this change.

5. With rent, property taxes, and home sale prices all rising, what, if anything, should the state legislature do to address this growing affordability crisis?

The General Assembly should continue to fully fund the NC Housing Trust so the NC Housing Finance Agency can continue their work. I also would support additional tax credits for developers to build more suitable housing.

Broadband

Ray will support legislation, funding, and other efforts to expand digital infrastructure and broadband capability to the under-served areas of the district.

Ray Jeffers Campaign Issues

Ray would be a voice for our commodity growers and the small farmers supplying local food hubs that depend on local goods and food. Ray would support state funding and staffing for agricultural research, Cooperative Extension Services, and other agriculture-related efforts to preserve North Carolinas #1 industry.

Supports gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, indexing it to inflation, and allowing smaller employers more time to comply.

Supports fully funding the North Carolina Housing Trust and offering additional developer tax credits to build housing.

Supports legislation and funding to expand broadband infrastructure in underserved parts of District 2.

Supports state funding and staffing for agricultural research, Cooperative Extension Services, and related agricultural efforts.

- Supports gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, indexing it to inflation, and allowing smaller employers more time to comply.
- Supports fully funding the North Carolina Housing Trust and offering additional developer tax credits to build housing.
- Supports legislation and funding to expand broadband infrastructure in underserved parts of District 2.
- Supports state funding and staffing for agricultural research, Cooperative Extension Services, and related agricultural efforts.

Economy

6. Do you believe that the state government has an obligation to prevent the impacts of climate change? If so, please state three specific policies you support to address climate change.
Yes. After the recent West Virginia v EPA decision it is clear that the responsibility for regulating greenhouse gas emissions is an issue that falls to state regulators.

Said state regulators are responsible for regulating greenhouse-gas emissions following the West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency decision.

- Said state regulators are responsible for regulating greenhouse-gas emissions following the West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency decision.

Energy & the Environment

10. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling this spring that overturned Roe v. Wade. The legal cutoff for abortion in North Carolina is now 20 weeks. Do you believe the 20-week cutoff is too restrictive, not restrictive enough, or just right? As a state lawmaker, would you support legislation that further limits or prohibits abortion in North Carolina, or punishes/criminalizes abortion providers or patients?
Health care decisions should be between an individual and their physician. Politicians in Raleigh should not use an arbitrary gestational age to limit when a person can receive what is often life saving health care. I do not support legislation that would punish or criminalize abortion providers or patients.

We should increase the number of slots for the Innovations Waiver for special needs individuals. This would not only reduce the strain on existing institutions but allow individuals the ability to receive care in their homes or communities.

12. Do you support reforming North Carolina’s marijuana laws? Do you support full legalization? Please explain your position.
We do need to update North Carolina’s marijuana laws. I support the legalization of medical marijuana and the decriminalization of marijuana.

Healthcare

Ray believes that every North Carolinian should have some security regarding their health. He would support the expansion of Medicaid in North Carolina.

Opposes gestational-age limits on abortion and legislation that criminalizes abortion patients or providers.

Supports increasing Innovations Waiver slots for people with special needs to enable care at home or in their communities.

Supports legalizing medical marijuana and decriminalizing marijuana.

Supports expanding Medicaid in North Carolina.

- Opposes gestational-age limits on abortion and legislation that criminalizes abortion patients or providers.
- Supports increasing Innovations Waiver slots for people with special needs to enable care at home or in their communities.
- Supports legalizing medical marijuana and decriminalizing marijuana.
- Supports expanding Medicaid in North Carolina.

Healthcare

7. Would you support an independent process for drawing new legislative and congressional districts?
Yes. I strongly oppose gerrymandering and hope that soon in North Carolina we will have an independent panel that will draw our districts.

Opposes gerrymandering and supports an independent panel to draw legislative and congressional districts.

- Opposes gerrymandering and supports an independent panel to draw legislative and congressional districts.

Voting & Elections

Public Safety

Ray unyieldingly supports public safety. As a commissioner, he increased funding to the volunteer fire departments to help better serve communities. Ray voted to keep hiring more Emergency Services staff, purchasing more ambulances and state-of-the-art 911 equipment. Ray supported and funded the Sheriff's policies and equipment necessary to protect our citizens.

13. Do you support strengthening gun safety regulations such as expanding background checks, banning bump stocks, and raising the age to buy or otherwise regulating the sales of assault-style weapons? Please explain.
I think the federal government should fully fund the National Instant Criminal Background Check system, and close the loopholes that allow for unchecked purchases. I also feel that states should do a better job at reporting felony and mental illness data to the NICS.

As a county commissioner, supported funding for sheriff's policies and equipment.

Calls for fully funding the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and closing loopholes for unchecked gun purchases.

As a county commissioner, increased volunteer-fire-department funding and voted for additional emergency-services staff, ambulances, and 911 equipment.

- As a county commissioner, supported funding for sheriff's policies and equipment.
- Calls for fully funding the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and closing loopholes for unchecked gun purchases.
- As a county commissioner, increased volunteer-fire-department funding and voted for additional emergency-services staff, ambulances, and 911 equipment.

Public Safety

8. Does the General Assembly have a constitutional obligation to comply with the state Supreme Court order in the Leandro case to fully fund public schools and give every child in North Carolina a sound basic education?
Yes. We must increase funding for our public schools. Our children and our communities deserve to have schools that are fully funded so that our children can have the resources they need to learn. Not only do our educators and support staff need pay increases, many of our buildings need to be renovated. As a County Commissioner I saw first hand how it was often easier to get funding for a new school building than it was to get funds to renovate an existing school. We need to change that.

9. When it comes to teacher pay, North Carolina is one of the lowest-paying states in the nation. Schools across the state are facing shortages of educators, support staff, and other key personnel. Do you support raising teacher pay to at least the national average? What else can the General Assembly do to improve working conditions for teachers and make the teaching profession more attractive to potential future educators?
I do support raising teacher pay. We need to ensure that schools have adequate funding and resources so they are not having to cover classes during their planning periods. We need to make sure that funding is there so teachers’ aides are not being required to drive school buses. At the state legislative level, we can continue to fund the Teaching Fellows program to help recruit young people into the profession, reinstate tenure, and reinstate masters and board certification pay.

Investing in Education

Ray has always supported N.C. students, teachers, and support staff as a public servant. If elected, Ray will back the community college system, support more Pre-K funding, and increase teacher pay.

Calls for increased public-school funding, educator and staff pay raises, and renovations of existing school buildings.

Supports funding the Teaching Fellows program and reinstating teacher tenure, master's-degree pay, and board-certification pay.

Supports community colleges, increased prekindergarten funding, and higher teacher pay.

- Calls for increased public-school funding, educator and staff pay raises, and renovations of existing school buildings.
- Supports funding the Teaching Fellows program and reinstating teacher tenure, master's-degree pay, and board-certification pay.
- Supports community colleges, increased prekindergarten funding, and higher teacher pay.

Education

As of January 5, 2026, Ray Jeffers’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

- Supports legislation and funding to expand broadband infrastructure in underserved parts of District 2.
- Supports state funding and staffing for agricultural research, Cooperative Extension Services, and related agricultural efforts.

- Supports expanding Medicaid in North Carolina.

- As a county commissioner, increased volunteer-fire-department funding and voted for additional emergency-services staff, ambulances, and 911 equipment.

- Supports community colleges, increased prekindergarten funding, and higher teacher pay.

Ray Jeffers is from Person County, North Carolina. He attended Piedmont Community College and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He is a trustee at New Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

Ray Jeffers for N.C. House (2) in 2022 - Welcome to Down Home!

Ray is a local elected official. He previously served as a Person County commissioner for 12 years. 

Ray is currently a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 2. He was first elected in 2022 and re-elected in 2024. Ray previously served for 12 years as an elected Person County Commissioner from 2008 to 2020.

Supports small businesses and policies that aim to grow the economy.

Supports state funding for agricultural research and related efforts.

Supports expanding digital infrastructure and broadband capability to underserved areas.

As a commissioner, increased funding to volunteer fire departments, hired more emergency services staff, and purchased more ambulances and 911 equipment.

Supports backing the community college system, increasing teacher pay, and funding more Pre-K.

Wants to ensure schools are financed and equipped to provide quality education to students.

Instagram

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

- Your State Representative participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 129 members of the North Carolina House of Representatives. The North Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Representative drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Representative can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Representative is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- State Representatives are elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

Your representative and state lawmaker in North Carolina House of Representatives.