Jeffrey Smythe (Burlington City Council, North Carolina, candidate 2025)
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Jeffrey Smythe ran for election to the Burlington City Council in North Carolina. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.[source]
Smythe completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Jeffrey Smythe provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on August 27, 2025:
- Birth date: August 23, 1964
- Birth place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- High school: Marcos de Niza High School
- Bachelor's: Arizona State University, 1991
- Graduate: Northern Arizona University, 2000
- Gender: Male
- Religion: Christian
- Profession: Police Officer
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign slogan: Proven Leader, Uniting Burlington
- Campaign website
Elections
General election
General election for Burlington City Council (2 seats)
Ian Baltutis, Harold Owen, Jeffrey Smythe, and Donna M. Vanhook ran in the general election for Burlington City Council on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
Ian Baltutis (Nonpartisan)  | ||
| Harold Owen (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Jeffrey Smythe (Nonpartisan) | ||
 | Donna M. Vanhook (Nonpartisan) | |
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| = 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. | ||||
Election results
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Smythe in this election.
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jeffrey Smythe completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Smythe's responses.
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I am a lifelong public servant who has been blessed to work in roles that serve and protect communities. My wife and I have made Burlington our home, and together we enjoy time with our three adult children and one grandson. Like many people, I work to find balance between family, work, and service.
My career has taken me from Arizona to Burlington, where I served as Chief of Police for eight years. Along the way, I have learned that leadership is not just about making decisions — it’s about listening, connecting people, and building trust. Burlington has given my family so much, and I want to give back by helping our city grow responsibly, keep our neighborhoods safe, and ensure government is transparent and accessible.
- Fiscally Responsible Stewardship – I will ensure every taxpayer dollar is spent wisely, focusing on essential services and long-term financial health.
- Protecting Our Community – I will support strong, well-trained police and fire services and provide the tools and personnel that keep Burlington safe.
- Open and Accountable Government – I will encourage public participation, share information clearly, and welcome community input on major decisions.
I believe government should focus on what citizens cannot do alone — such as public safety, infrastructure, and services that benefit the entire community. My passion is keeping government effective, efficient, and in service to the people.
City council is the level of government closest to the people. It directly affects daily life for Burlington’s 55,000 residents — through public safety, parks, roads, and services.
1. Competence – The ability to understand issues, rely on facts, and make informed decisions.
2. Character – Acting with honesty, integrity, and treating everyone with dignity and respect.
3. Courage – Having the conviction to make difficult decisions and be accountable for them.
A city council member must be accessible, prepared, and collaborative. Preparation means reading and understanding complex materials before meetings. Collaboration means respecting that no one council member acts alone — we govern as a team, with the city manager responsible for directing staff. The role also requires being present in the community, listening to residents, and representing their voices honestly.
As a person, I hope to be remembered for showing grace, helping others, and connecting people. As a council member, I would like to be remembered as someone who built cohesion within the council and ensured that every person and group in Burlington felt connected, valued, and included.
I vaguely remember the moon landing and President Nixon’s resignation — both around the time I was five.
I delivered newspapers as a teenager, riding my bike around the neighborhood. I kept that job for several years and it taught me responsibility and hard work.
The Bicentennial Man by Isaac Asimov. It’s a story about self-discovery and the quest to be fully human. I connect with its message as a lifelong learner who is always striving to grow and improve.
Any character who can fly. Since childhood, I’ve had vivid dreams of flying — to experience that freedom in real life would be amazing.
Like many, I’ve struggled with work-life balance. I’m also naturally impatient — as a leader, I used to want tasks done exactly my way, right away. Over time, I’ve learned to trust others, give space, and appreciate different approaches. I’m still a work in progress, but those lessons have made me a better leader and a more patient person.
The council’s main power is collective. One member does not direct staff or make unilateral decisions. That’s important for citizens to understand — council governs as a body, not as individuals.
Yes. Prior experience helps, but it’s not essential. Many effective leaders come from different backgrounds. What matters most is having the willingness to learn, to serve, and to listen.
Experience with budgeting, finance, or management is helpful, as well as prior service on boards or in government. Most important are the skills of listening, collaboration, and problem-solving.
The city council is unique because it is the part of government that is closest to the people. Council members are neighbors, not distant officials, and the decisions we make directly affect everyday life in Burlington — from the safety of our neighborhoods, to the condition of our streets, to the quality of our parks and public spaces.
What also makes this office important is that it is both representative and collaborative. Each member brings the voices of their community to the table, but real progress only happens when the council works together as a team. That balance of accountability to the public and teamwork within government makes city council service one of the most meaningful roles in local democracy.
What also makes this office important is that it is both representative and collaborative. Each member brings the voices of their community to the table, but real progress only happens when the council works together as a team. That balance of accountability to the public and teamwork within government makes city council service one of the most meaningful roles in local democracy.
I have chosen to remain fully independent and not seek formal endorsements. My hope is that every voter will take the time to evaluate my record of service, my experience, and my vision for Burlington, and make their decision based on qualifications rather than outside influence.
Because of my career in the justice system, the stories that stay with me are from people who have paid their debt to society but still feel excluded. I have spoken with individuals who, even after serving their sentence and working hard to rebuild their lives, are unable to regain the right to vote.
Hearing their frustration is powerful. Voting is one of the most basic ways to feel connected and valued in a community. When someone is trying to turn their life around but still feels shut out of civic participation, it reminds me how important it is that government provide a brighter light at the end of the tunnel — a real chance for redemption, belonging, and hope.
Hearing their frustration is powerful. Voting is one of the most basic ways to feel connected and valued in a community. When someone is trying to turn their life around but still feels shut out of civic participation, it reminds me how important it is that government provide a brighter light at the end of the tunnel — a real chance for redemption, belonging, and hope.
Like many people, I am most proud of my family. I have a wonderful wife, three fantastic children who have all grown into kind and caring adults, and now one beautiful and curious grandson who brings us great joy.
Professionally, I’ve been fortunate to contribute to work that has lasting impact. For the past eight years, I have served as a CALEA Commissioner, helping shape professional policing standards across North America. I also had the honor of leading the project to update North Carolina’s Basic Law Enforcement Training curriculum, expanding it from 640 to 868 hours. This reform placed our state at the forefront of modern, legally sound, and comprehensive police training.
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
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
