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Union County

The Conservative Red Wall

January 9, 2026 by Dottie

Union County, NC March Primary: Why the Board of Commissioners Election Matters More Than You Think

Some voters will skip the Union County March primary and assume November is what matters.
Some will skip it and later wish they hadn’t.
Some will split their ballot and feel good about it.
Others will split their ballot without realizing they may be weakening their own priorities.

And then there are voters who show up informed and make a quiet but decisive impact.

Here’s the honest truth:
Most people underestimate the power of the primary election in Union County.

Local primaries are not about personalities.
They are about direction.

In Union County, North Carolina, the March primary for the Board of Commissioners is especially important this year because three incumbents, Melissa Merrell, Brian Helms, and Sam Harris are running as a unified, conservative governing bloc.

These incumbents are aligned, consistent, and disciplined in their approach to local government. Together, they form what many voters see as the conservative red wall on the Union County Board of Commissioners.

Not flashy.
Not loud.
But steady, principled, and focused on the fundamentals that have long defined Union County:

  • Fiscal restraint
  • Respect for property rights
  • Thoughtful, measured growth

What the Union County Board of Commissioners Decides

Local government decisions directly shape everyday life in Union County:

  • Zoning and land use
  • Residential density
  • Property taxes
  • Infrastructure and roads
  • Sewer and water capacity
  • Long-term school planning

These decisions rarely make headlines, but they are very hard to reverse once made.

A consistent conservative majority on the Union County Board of Commissioners, like the one provided by Merrell, Helms, and Harris, offers stability at a time when Union County is experiencing significant growth pressure and long-term change.

The Truth About Primaries in Union County

Here’s the reality many voters miss:

You don’t “send a message” in a primary.
You build a governing majority.

When voters split their choices in the Union County primary election, even with good intentions, it can unintentionally weaken the outcome, especially if the general election feels like a sure thing. Supporting a unified slate of candidates in the March primary creates predictability, the kind communities need when decisions made today will shape Union County for decades.

Conservative Leadership in Union County

There is no perfect candidate.
There is no crystal ball.

But if you value conservative leadership at the local level, the Union County March primary is the moment to reinforce it.

Experience teaches us that the most consequential decisions are often the quiet ones.
The ones made when turnout is low.
The ones made when attention is elsewhere.

March Matters. Primaries Matter. Union County Matters.

Local elections are the most powerful lever most voters will ever pull.

If you have questions about the Union County Board of Commissioners election, ask the candidates directly. Beyond the conservative incumbents, some candidates prioritize residential density, annexations, or developer relationships, and some are still figuring out what they stand for.

Those conversations are how communities stay engaged, grounded, and intentional, and how Union County continues to thrive for the next generation.

And yes — this matters.

Filed Under: UCNews Tagged With: BOCC, Conservative Red Wall

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