Mount AiryNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Mount Airy Mayor & Board of Commissioners Election 2026

3 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 5 candidates running. Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 2 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

Find your match: 2-question quizSee who is on your ballot

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
In-person early voting ends (Oct 31): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

The Nov. 3 ballot has one mayor contest, one North Ward commissioner seat and one South Ward commissioner seat.

In-person early voting ends · Oct 31

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

  • U.S. Senate
    • Michael Dublin · Green
    • Roy Cooper · Democratic
    • Shannon W. Bray · Libertarian
    • Michael Whatley · Republican
    Official candidate list, in its order
  • Also statewideNC Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 01 · NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 01 · NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 02 · NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 03
  • U.S. HouseDistrict 5
  • NC State SenateDistrict 36
  • NC House of RepresentativesDistrict 90
  • Statewide measures3 on the ballot: the state's official explanations
Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

What the next council decides

01Property taxes3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city rate is 58 cents per $100 of assessed value, set in 2025 after a revaluation raised city property values.

What's on the tableThe next board will set the property tax rate in future budgets.

02Water and sewer rates3 sourced facts

Where it standsA 5% water rate increase takes effect July 1, 2026, after a 3-2 vote decided by the mayor.

What's on the tableThe next board will set water and sewer rates and decide how to fund aging utility lines.

03Data centers3 sourced facts

Where it standsMount Airy is under a 90-day data center moratorium imposed Sept. 3, and the Planning Board has approved a proposed ordinance.

What's on the tableThe commissioners will hold a public hearing on Oct. 15 and take final action on the data center ordinance.

04Granstone Conference Center and city spending2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe $25 million Granstone Conference Center is under construction downtown.

What's on the tableThe next board will oversee the project's completion and weigh other major city spending.

05Tiny homes2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe Planning Board is drafting a tiny home ordinance and has taken no action yet.

What's on the tableThe commissioners will hold a public hearing and take final action once the Planning Board approves an ordinance.

3 notes on these statements

Tom Koch finished third in the March 2026 North Ward primary and is not on the November ballot. Mount Airy News · Mar 4, 2026

Phillip Thacker, the South Ward incumbent, filed on opening day and drew no challenger. Mount Airy News · Dec 22, 2025

Bill Goins left his seat on the Surry County Board of Commissioners to run for mayor. Mount Airy News · Dec 22, 2025

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Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. After a property revaluation, how should the city set its tax rate?

  2. 2. How should the city handle water and sewer rates?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted1 council decision, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.New · How Mount Airy is runWho runs Mount Airy, and what it costsWho the city manager is, council pay, whether the city is in the red, and where your property tax goes.

Key dates

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Deborah Cochran, David Hall, Calvin Vaughn3 on this ballot

5 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works

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