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Cyril Jefferson
Cyril Jefferson (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 6th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on March 3, 2026.[source]
Jefferson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Cyril Jefferson was born in Utica, New York. He attended North Carolina A&T State University and High Point University for undergraduate study. His career experience includes working as a mayor, council member, educator, education policy fellow, youth development consultant, and motivational speaker. He has been affiliated with the United Way, the Chamber of Commerce, the Jaycees, the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, the NAACP, and the United States Junior Chamber.[1][2]
Elections
2026
See also: North Carolina's 6th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.
General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 6
Joshua Hager is running in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 6 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Joshua Hager (Independent) | ||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 6
Beau Blair, Keith Davenport, Tavin Felton-Stackhouse, Cyril Jefferson, and Alysa Kassay are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 6 on March 3, 2026.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 6
Incumbent Addison McDowell is running in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 6 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Addison McDowell | ||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
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2019
See also: City elections in High Point, North Carolina (2019)
General election
General election for High Point City Council Ward 1
Cyril Jefferson defeated Willie Davis in the general election for High Point City Council Ward 1 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Cyril Jefferson (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 55.0 | 942 | |
| Willie Davis (Nonpartisan) | 44.8 | 767 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 3 | ||
| Total votes: 1,712 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for High Point City Council Ward 1
Cyril Jefferson and Willie Davis defeated Jerry Archie in the primary for High Point City Council Ward 1 on October 8, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Cyril Jefferson (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 45.0 | 546 | |
| ✔ | Willie Davis (Nonpartisan) | 30.1 | 366 | |
| Jerry Archie (Nonpartisan) | 24.9 | 302 | ||
| Total votes: 1,214 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Campaign themes
2026
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released August 5, 2025 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Cyril Jefferson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Jefferson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- Cyril Jefferson is running for Congress to deliver real results—not rhetoric—for North Carolina’s Sixth District.
- His approach is simple: put people first, build strong partnerships, and focus on solutions that work.
- Cyril is a husband, a father, a man of faith, and is guided by a calling to serve.
Service-minded leadership begins with humility. It means listening more than speaking, showing up in every corner of the community, and recognizing that leadership is not about personal power, but about improving the lives of others. A true public servant understands they are entrusted with the hopes and challenges of their constituents, and that trust must never be taken for granted.
Integrity is non-negotiable. The public deserves leaders who are honest, transparent, and consistent—individuals who do the right thing, especially when it’s not the easy thing. Decision-making must be guided by facts, values, and what will create the greatest good, not what scores the most political points.
Pragmatism is critical. Ideological purity may win headlines, but real progress requires collaboration, compromise, and focus. Effective leaders are solution-seekers, willing to work across lines of differences to craft policies that work in the real world—not just in talking points.
Empathy and compassion are essential. Officials must lead with an understanding of people’s real struggles—whether it’s affording housing, accessing healthcare, keeping their families safe, or finding a path to opportunity. Policies disconnected from human needs fail. Leaders must stay grounded in the lived experiences of their communities.
Lastly, resilience and courage are vital. Governing in complex times requires the strength to make tough decisions, to face criticism with grace, and to keep showing up when the stakes are high and the solutions aren’t easy.
One of their most important jobs is handling money. All bills that involve taxes or government spending have to start in the House. So, Representatives help decide how our tax dollars are used—on things like schools, roads, health care, and the military.
They also have the responsibility to check the power of the President and other top leaders. If someone in the government breaks the law or abuses their power, the House can start the process to remove them.
Another job is oversight. This means watching over federal agencies to make sure they’re doing their jobs honestly and fairly. Representatives can call hearings, ask questions, and dig into problems if something doesn’t seem right.
But one of the most important things a U.S. Representative does is represent you. They’re elected to speak up for the people in their district. That means listening to concerns, answering questions, helping with problems related to federal programs, and being a voice for the community in Washington, D.C.
What I love is that the book offers a kind of roadmap for governing with optimism, pragmatism, and collaboration. It reminds me that the people I might disagree with aren’t my enemies; we’re all aiming for a better world, just with different ideas on how to get there. That perspective has shaped my own values in leadership—choosing hope, building bridges, and believing that we can find common ground. In short, it’s a book that’s given me a guiding light for how to lead and govern with a positive spirit.
Early on, I had to learn the balance between striving for excellence and understanding that sometimes "good enough" is truly good enough. A client once told me, "Don't let perfect become the enemy of good," and that advice stuck with me. In government work, you can't always swing for the fences on every single idea. I’ve learned to temper my urgency with realism, recognizing that moving the needle, even incrementally, is still progress. There's a season for everything, and I've come to appreciate that big ideas sometimes have to unfold step by step.
She saw something in Cyril—not just that I was working hard without any desire for recognition, but that I genuinely loved the work and was willing to network and build relationships to help these kids. In fact, Sara believed in Cyril’s work so much that she got her own grandson into the program he was teaching music in. She always told him, "Cyril, you've got the heart, the work ethic, and the skill to make a difference." Hearing that at such a young age had a bigger impact on Cyril than he realized at the time. It was a moment that really shaped his path.
Being entrusted with the power of the purse is one of the most important duties of this office. Whether it's funding our military, supporting education, improving infrastructure, or ensuring access to healthcare, I will approach each decision with care, common sense, and a commitment to fiscal responsibility. I understand that every vote I take on spending and taxation impacts families, small businesses, and future generations.
When used properly, congressional investigations can uncover waste, fraud, abuse of power, or failures in leadership. But when used recklessly or for partisan gain, they damage trust in our institutions and distract from the real issues facing the country. I believe investigations should be guided by principle, not politics. As your Congressman, I will support oversight efforts that hold the government accountable and ensure it is working for you—not for the benefit of any one party or politician.
At the same time, we must ensure AI is not used for harmful or unethical purposes. That means putting strong safeguards in place to prevent misuse, protect personal privacy, and guard against threats to jobs and safety. Consumer protection must be at the center of our policy decisions, and we must remain vigilant against the risks AI can pose if left unchecked. With smart, balanced policy, we can ensure AI strengthens our economy and society without compromising our values or security.
I believe the strength of our democracy comes from the involvement of the people. That’s why I would support legislation that makes it easier for all eligible citizens to vote while still protecting the security and integrity of our elections.
First, we should implement automatic voter registration. When people apply for a driver’s license or other public services, they should be registered to vote unless they choose to opt out. This simple step would increase voter participation and reduce registration errors.
Second, we need to expand early voting and vote-by-mail options nationwide. Not everyone can vote on Election Day, and giving people more time and more ways to vote will help more citizens make their voices heard.
Third, Election Day should be a national holiday. No one should have to choose between going to work and casting their vote.
Finally, while increasing access, we must also ensure election integrity by using secure voting systems, requiring paper ballot backups, and having nonpartisan oversight.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2019
Cyril Jefferson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Jefferson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- Creating a community that supports and promotes stronger families
- Taking the weights off of our boats so that the rising tide can be felt by all
- Being committed to doing the hard work that is necessary to improve our community
I am also passionate about economic & community development. Adequate jobs and housing are the cornerstones of a vibrant society.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate U.S. House North Carolina District 6 |
Personal |
Footnotes
= candidate completed the 