Gary Parris (Buncombe County Sheriff, North Carolina, candidate 2026)
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Gary Parris (Republican Party) is running for election for Buncombe County Sheriff in North Carolina. Parris is on the ballot in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.[source]
Parris completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Gary Parris provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on January 25, 2026:
- High school: North Buncombe High School
- Bachelor's: Regents College New York State, 1993
- Graduate: Joint Military Intelligence College, Washington D.C., 1999
- Graduate: Troy University, Alabama, 2004
- Military service: United States Navy, 1983-2005
- Profession: Retired
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign website
Elections
Republican primary
Republican primary for Buncombe County Sheriff
Vic Morman (R) and Gary Parris (R) are running in the Republican primary for Buncombe County Sheriff on March 3, 2026.
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| Vic Morman | ||
Gary Parris  | ||
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
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Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Gary Parris completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Parris' responses.
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My professional career began in 1981 at the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office. In 1983 I joined the United States Navy and served honorably the next 22 years working in the Cryptologic and Intelligence Communities retiring at the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer E8. During my military career I earned a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence, and a MPA with a concentration in Criminal Justice Administration. In addition to classroom teaching experience, I worked as a Defense Contractor supporting Intelligence training and providing logistical and security support to a Joint services Global Cyber training program.
In 2022, I retired from the Virginia Department of Corrections at the rank of Captain, working at a level 5 maximum security prison. As a Watch Commander I was directly responsible for day-to-day operations of the facility and the safety and security for 1,500 staff and Inmates.- I am not running against any individuals or any political party. I'm running for the Office of Buncombe County Sheriff. The Sheriff's Office represents public service and is above partisan politics. As your Sheriff, I will serve and represent everyone.
- Protect what matters. Safe Families, Safe Communities, Safe Schools. I will improve and develop the current culture of the Sheriff's Office and modernize the Sheriff's Office to meet the challenges of 2026 and beyond.
The Sheriff's Office is currently 70-80 deputies short to include the Detention Center. We have the 9th deadliest Detention Center in the State. The current administration appears to be satisfied with being stagnant and accepting the status quo. People don't leave bad jobs; they leave bad leadership.
As Sheriff, I will provide a course change for public safety in our county by rebuilding and modernizing our Sheriff's Office. My first step will be to invest in our Deputies, Corrections Officers, and their families. - In a county as large as Buncombe, (660 plus square miles) the Sheriff is a CEO and administrator. Some law enforcement experience is good however the Sheriff must be able to manage a budget of approximately 28 million dollars, hire, retain, and provide continuous training, while strategically growing and modernizing the Sheriff's Office. As Sheriff I will regain the public's trust thru enforcement of the law and actively working with local elected officials, community and municipal leaders, to address public safety challenges that include the trafficking of Fentanyl, children and women, and guns.
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.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
