Shawn Freeman

Candidate website

Shawn Freeman is a resident of Burke County. Shawn is married with one daughter and two grandchildren. He served in the United States Air Force during the Gulf War.

Shawn has over 30 years of experience in public service. He served as a police officer and rose through the ranks to become the Police Chief of the Black Mountain Police Department before his retirement.

Shawn's campaign for Burke County commissioner is his first time running for public office.

Burke County, North Carolina, elections, 2024 - Ballotpedia

Shawn's campaign for Burke County commissioner is his first time running for public office. Shawn’s campaign for the Board of Commissioners is based on his lifelong commitment to public service and a desire to bring transparency and integrity to county government.

Commits to the responsible stewardship of taxpayer money by ensuring resources are used efficiently and wasteful spending is minimized.

- Commits to the responsible stewardship of taxpayer money by ensuring resources are used efficiently and wasteful spending is minimized.

Advocates for restoring the citizens' voice to the County Commission to ensure that resident concerns are directly heard and addressed.

- Advocates for restoring the citizens' voice to the County Commission to ensure that resident concerns are directly heard and addressed.

As of January 2, 2026, Shawn Freeman’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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Energy & the Environment

Phil Smith

Phil Smith's campaign for Burke County Commissioner is his first entry into politics.

As of January 2, 2026, Phil Smith’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Phil is the current Vice-chair of the Burke County Commissioners

As of January 2, 2026, Phil Smith did not have a website or any information online.

Randy Burns

As of January 2, 2026, Randy Burns’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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Burke County candidates start filing for 2026 primary on first day of ...

Randy Burns is a lifelong resident of Burke County. Randy lives in Morganton with his wife and their children.

Randy currently serves as the Senior Executive Director for Campus Centers at Catawba Valley Community College, a role Randy began in December 2024. Previously, Randy served as the Senior Executive Director for Economic Development and Corporate Education at the same institution from 2022 to 2025. Randy also worked as a Project Manager for Innovation and Partnerships between 2020 and 2021.

Randy currently serves as a Burke County Commissioner, a position held since December 2022. Randy was recently elected as the Chairman of the Policy Board of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments. Prior to serving as a commissioner, Randy spent eight years on the Burke County Board of Education, serving as Chairman for six consecutive years from 2011 to 2019. Additionally, Randy served as a Commissioner for North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation in 2025.

As of January 2, 2026, Randy Burns did not have a website or any information online.

Tony Padgett

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

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

Tony Padgett's campaign for Burke County commissioner is his first time running for public office.

Tony Padgett - Ballotpedia

New filings add challengers to Burke County 2026 election races as ...

- 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.